It was the kind of performance that defines matches, seasons and careers.
Barcelona, having spent the GDP of a small country in the summer – despite their well-documented financial troubles – were being held at Real Sociedad as the clock ticked over the hour mark. Just like they were held by Real Vallecano during their season opener.
Robert Lewandowski scored in the first minute but otherwise looked starved of service. Frenkie de Jong was underwhelming. Ferran Torres put in the kind of lacklustre display that’s fast becoming his trademark at Barcelona. And La Real were gaining the initative.
Thirty minutes later and Xavi’s side had romped to a 4-1 victory at one of Spain’s toughest away venues.
Anybody subjected to a half-hour power cut would be forgiven for thinking the final scoreline was a misprint but Barca had made their early statement of intent. And nobody disputed the reason behind their impressive win; step forward Ansu Fati.
Fati has struggled to keep fit following knee surgery in 2020 and missed a large chunk of last season with a hamstring problem.
The Spain international was handed Barcelona’s No.10 shirt after Lionel Messi’s departure for PSG last year, which would seem an unnecessary burden if not for the fact that the 19-year-old is awe-inspiringly good.
And, after replacing Torres in the 63rd minute of Sunday’s clash at the Anoeta, Fati set about making himself indispensable to the Barca cause.
Within minutes of his arrival, the talented youngster had controlled a pass fired at him with the ferocity of a million suns, drew a Real Sociedad defender into his orbit and made him look a fool with an impetuous flick to the path of an unmarked Ousmane Dembele.
Dembele dare not have missed. Los Txuri-Urdin had been undone by a piece of wizardy from Fati.
Brilliant Barca! 🔥🔥
A fantastic back heel from Ansu Fati provides the assist and Ousmane Dembélé smashes it home to make it 2-1 to the visitors 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/iLHwyaERm0
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) August 21, 2022
Having rendered the opposition disoriented and the Basque crowd mute, Fati began to press home the advantage with a rarely-sighted ruthlessness.
After combining with new signing and fellow substitute Raphinha on the left flank, the La Masia graduate collected a sloppy clearance, arrowed a header into Pedri and demanded the ball back.
Upon receiving it, Fati played a delightful one-touch pass into the onrushing Lewandowski. Another goal…
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