Barcelona director backs underfire forward to come good: “We all know how talented he is”

Barcelona’s sporting director Jordi Cruyff has assured that the team will be patient with Ansu Fati while the 20-year-old continues to recover from his knee injury.

It must be remembered that Ansu played for Barcelona in the UEFA Europa League second leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford and made a 15-minute guest appearance towards the end.

A day after the exit, Barcelona confirmed the 20-year-old suffered a bruise to his left knee during an afternoon training session. However, as previously reported, the youngster’s injury is not that serious this time and he is only expected to be out for about a week.

Jordi Cruyff spoke about Barcelona’s handling of Fati, who has struggled to perform this season, saying the team are doing everything in their power to take the pressure off the youngster.

“The most important thing for young players is rest. Ansu has been coming from a serious injury for a long time and the only way is planning and timing. said Cruyff during a speech on Movistar+ and Barça TV (h/t Diario SPORT)

“We all know how talented he is, that’s why we gave him the No 10 shirt, but you have to take the pressure off.” he added.

Meanwhile, the 49-year-old also reassured fans that the team would bounce back after being knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United.

Assessing Barcelona’s position after elimination, he said now is the time to react and take advantage of the situation in the league.

“It hurts to stay away from any of the goals but if we win La Liga it’s a sign that things are going well. If you fall in Europe, you must change your mind and compete. You have to react to disappointments.” said the sports director.

Real Madrid’s recent 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid put Barcelona in a very promising position. If the Catalan side can maintain their current form, the title is certain to be lost.

“At Barça there is always an obligation to win every game. After Madrid’s draw, we have the opportunity to extend the deficit. That’s extra motivation. It’s not final, but it builds trust.

Most recently, Cruyff also spoke about the influence of a certain Sergi Roberto, whose contract expires at the end of the season. He said the experienced Spaniard has helped the team in many positions this season and has proved to be a very effective asset for the team.

“Sergi Roberto helps us in many positions and is a very useful footballer in the squad.” he concluded.