Ansu Fati is a breath of fresh air for Barcelona

Barcelona got a much needed win over the weekend against Levant after back-to-back draws against Granada and Cadiz, respectively. But it was the return of Ansu Fati that stole the show.

The 18-year-old was making his return from a knee injury that required multiple surgeries and sidelined him for 10 months. He certainly made his presence felt when he scored Barcelona’s third goal in added time and showed what the club had been missing with his absence.

The win quelled some of the negativity surrounding Barcelona and given how well Fati looked during his cameo, it also gave supporters hope going forward.

Win still leaves Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman on outside looking in

Ronald Koeman was not on the bench as the two-match sanction following the Cadiz game was upheld. His assistant, Alfred Schreuder, was left in charge.

While Koeman was likely still making the decisions, perhaps his absence allowed some of the players to play freer and with less pressure. Levante made it easy for them but it was the best the team has looked since the opening 30 minutes against Real Sociedad to kick off the season.

Memphis and Luuk de Jong were both on the score sheet, Sergiño Dest had one of his best games, at left back, since arriving from Ajax and Riqui Puig was actually given more than a cameo appearance.

The result will not do much regarding Koeman’s future. It does not erase the poor play the team has shown, nor should it. It’s only one game and they have tougher opponents in Benfica and Atletico Madrid coming up.

What the return of Fati does is give Koeman, and the next manager, more to work with in attack. Barcelona’s new No. 10 has the ability to dribble, take on defenders and create something out of nothing. Something the team has been lacking.

"“I didn’t imagine a comeback like this,” Ansu said after the match. “When we play at home we always have to win. I am happy with the victory. We still have a long way to go.“I want to show my appreciation to the doctors and the physios that have been with me throughout this process. And also to the fans, who were incredible.”Source: ESPN"

The joy on his face when he entered the game and after he scored is something that will live on for Barcelona supporters. There is a lot riding on his shoulders, but Fati seems to relish the challenge rather than dread it.

That is another aspect this team has been missing. The mentality to surge forward instead of dropping their heads when something goes wrong. It was enough for the club to see Fati playing, but his goal has instilled a renewed hope.

It comes as no surprise then that one of the priorities for the club is to extend his contract. By all accounts, Fati wants to stay and it’s only a matter of reaching an agreement.

Barcelona is still a team undergoing a rebuild. It’s not going to be a smooth transition and there’s already been many bumps in the road. But a healthy Ansu Fati could certainly expedite that process.  For now, both club and player are going to take it one step at a time.