Ferran Torres has potential but must be clinical to survive at Barcelona

Ferran Torres was in tears following Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Napoli in the first leg of the Europa League knockout round playoffs. The 21-year-old was responsible for missing several gilt-edged chances against the Italian side and he felt guilty for letting his teammates down.

Torres had a good game against Napoli and his ability to move into spaces is why Xavi rates him so highly. However, his lack of ruthlessness up front is troubling. Torres may have grabbed the equalizer – after Piotr Zielinski had put Napoli ahead in the first half – but he should have scored more due to the chances that came his way.

Potential alone is not enough

The former Manchester City forward has been tipped by many to rise to the very top of the football world and he certainly has the potential to do that.

At 21, Torres is already a full international with Spain and is considered an important member of Barcelona’s squad. He has also won a lot, including the Premier League, Carabao Cup, Spanish Super Cup, and the European U17 and U19 Championships.

Torres certainly has a rich résumé, which is why he was never content with sitting on the bench at the Etihad. However, he is yet to make his mark since his move to Barcelona in January.

It’s early days yet, but to thrive at Barcelona, a player needs to have the character and temperament of a fighter. That he shed tears in front of the Camp Nou fans could be taken as a sign of weakness. Potential alone is never enough at the top level and Torres will have to cultivate a tougher mentality to survive at Barcelona.

Torres must score more

The 21-year-old was obviously very wasteful against Napoli and his profligacy upfront effectively denied the team victory. Perhaps his wastefulness contributed to his lack of game time at Manchester City.

Torres now finds himself at another big club where the pressure to perform is intense. However, he’s lucky to have a manager like Xavi who believes in him and is ready to offer him all the support he needs to settle.

That said, the young forward must start scoring more. It’s the only way to repay the faith his manager has shown in him. Xavi defended Torres after his wasteful performance and said, as quoted by Goal:

"It [missing chances] happened to Luis Suarez, who seemed to have no goals. The Barca shirt weighs a few kilos more. But I am delighted to have him in the team and he will give me a lot of joy. If he is in the penalty area, it is because he will score. He has scored goals all his life and he will have them."

"In training, he is one of those who scores the most. He has our absolute trust. The coaching staff and I will take care of this. He is very strong, self-demanding."

Torres is one of the young players Barcelona are banking their hopes on to return the club to their previous status among the elite. To reach his full potential, Torres needs to improve his mentality and his productivity upfront.