Ferran Torres Shocks Everyone with His Stunning Performance

Was it Ferran Torres or David Villa on Saturday night? This question lingered for many FC Barcelona supporters during their 5-3 victory against Real Betis. The former Valencia player scored a fantastic hat-trick, displaying a true matador performance. He opened the scoring by converting a well-placed cross from Koundé in the 11th minute, equalizing after Antony had put the Andalusians ahead early on.

Just two minutes later, Torres made it 2-1 with an acrobatic bicycle kick from Roony Bardghji’s cross. After a third goal was netted by the Swedish player, Torres completed his hat-trick with a strike from outside the box, slightly deflected by a defender, but still finding the net. Unsurprisingly, he topped the headlines across Spain, with Mundo Deportivo referring to him as having a “shark mentality,” a nod to his nickname.

Better than Lewandowski for Barcelona’s Play?

Ferran Torres has faced significant criticism since joining FC Barcelona. However, through hard work and support from coach Hansi Flick, he has excelled in the role of Lewandowski’s backup, despite it not being his natural position. With 11 goals in 15 La Liga matches, Torres has already surpassed his previous season’s tally of 10 and boasts a better goals-per-minute ratio than top scorer Kylian Mbappé. This shows evident improvement in his finishing, previously a point of scrutiny.

While Robert Lewandowski remains the superior goal-scorer and is far more lethal in the box, Torres’ ability to make runs and combine effectively with teammates has led some analysts to suggest that depending on the opponent, Flick might consider starting him. Regardless, the German coach can be pleased to have such a formidable attacking option at his disposal.