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Barcelona forward Ferran Torres reckons he put in his best display for the club during their La Liga game against Cadiz CF at the weekend.
The Blaugrana hosted Cadiz, 17th in the league at the start of the game, at the Camp Nou on Sunday (February 19). Xavi Hernandez's side needed a win to restore their eight-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who beat Osasuna 2-0 a day earlier.
They responded with a 2-0 win of their own, with Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski scoring on the cusp of half-time. Despite not getting a goal or an assist, Torres was named the Player of the Match for an incredible performance. The Spaniard completed 10 of 13 dribble attempts, laid out five key passes and also won 18 duels.
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He notably delivered a superb cross after beating three defenders with some sublime dribbling in the build-up to Roberto's opener for Barcelona. After the game, Torres seemed emotional as he reflected on a fabulous display and said (as quoted by Barca Universal):
“Maybe the first 45 minutes were my best for Barcelona. I’m proud that the Camp Nou applauded me. Now, it’s time to keep working because the hard thing is to keep on delivering.”
The former Manchester City man added:
“It’s difficult to showcase all of your ability here since the beginning due to pressure and everything else.”
Ferran Torres has endured a difficult season for Barcelona
Ferran Torres has undoubtedly had a tough season at Barcelona. He missed their La Liga season opener and went on to start just two of their next six league games, failing to score in any of them.
The incredible form of Ousmane Dembele before his injury and Raphinha has meant that Torres has had to settle for a role as an impact sub. However, he has been unable to consistently deliver from the bench, scoring just twice in 19 La Liga appearances (seven starts).
The forward also hasn't found the back of the net for the Blaugrana since November last year. However, the performance against Cadiz will give him and the club confidence that he can deliver when called upon. With Dembele out and Raphinha rested, Torres provided a timely reminder of his abilities on Sunday.
He now looks set to start one of Barcelona's most important games of the season. Xavi Hernandez's team will visit Old Trafford for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League knockout playoff tie against Manchester United on Thursday (February 23).
With Dembele and Pedri Gonzalez out injured and Pablo Gavi suspended, Torres will be expected to provide Barcelona with a creative spark, like he did on Sunday. He failed to make much of an impact after coming on late in the first leg against United last week but will likely be much more confident this time around.
