The forward clearly cares about the team, but at this point, it would be best for everyone if they parted ways.
The circumstances that may have ended Bori Fati’s son’s career with Barcelona were extremely exceptional.
Ansu’s father and agent, Bori, called Spanish radio station COPE to voice his complaints about his son’s circumstances in Barcelona. He bemoaned Ansu’s limited playing time and criticised bigger responsibilities given to other players.
The most significant thing was that Bori urged his son to quit the club he had joined as a teenager.
Ansu was apparently blindsided by the outburst and may release a statement of his own, reaffirming his love for Barca. But the damage may already be done.
At the very least, it’s another negative development in what should have been a momentous career from a footballer who is still growing.
Indeed, at a time when he should be looking forward to starting against Elche on Saturday, with Raphinha suspended and Ousmane Dembele injured, he is instead dealing with a furore over his future.
It’s quite the fall from grace. Just two years ago, remember, Fati was hailed as Barcelona’s ‘new Lionel Messi’ and even handed the No.10 shirt. Now, he can’t even nail down a starting spot.
He isn’t the first teenager to be boxed into the Argentine’s influence at Barcelona. Indeed, a string of young talents have been dubbed the second coming of the club legend.
Still, Fati was supposed to be the one that panned out. He was never going to reach Messi’s talent, influence or production – no one can. But he appeared, at the very least, to be trending in the right direction.
And now, Fati might slip into a familiar Barcelona trap, another failure in a handful of promising attacking players to see their careers flatlined by expectation.
It might be time for the immensely talented 20-year-old to get out of Camp Nou before that can happen.
