Ansu Fati was a revelation at Barcelona and for Spain last season. In LaLiga Santander, the Champions League and on international duty, the youngster kept breaking records and scoring goals that announced himself on the Spanish and European stage.
But an injury in his left knee in November stopped him in his tracks. Fati had to undergo surgery and his comeback hasn’t been going to plan. Those at the Camp Nou are still optimistic, but nobody is setting a date for his return.
His injury came on November 7 in a stroke of misfortune against Real Betis. He had to be taken off at half time, and he went under the knife two days later.
Fati was expected to miss around four months, but he is yet to return and a longer spell on the sidelines hasn’t been ruled out.
The 18-year-old underwent treatment in January to speed up his recovery, but things are progressing slower than expected and he’s not getting any closer to stepping back onto a pitch.
He has been consulting with a number of specialists, one of those being in Lyon, and his joint has become inflamed, leading to more concerns recently. No next steps have been decided yet, and whatever happens from here will be decided in the coming days, once he’s been monitored further.
Barcelona want to go step by step and without rushing the player. Fati is one of the biggest characters in the dressing room, and the coaches want him back without any risk of a relapse.
The forward is under contract until 2022, and the club have the option of extending his deal by a further two more. In 14 games, he scored six goals under Ronald Koeman.
