Xavi is hopeful that Ferran Torres will arrive safely in Barcelona despite having started a difficult life at Camp Nou.
Torres, who signed for € 55 million in December from Manchester City, saved Barca 1-1 at home against Napoli in the Europa League, scoring a goal from the top.
However, that was only the striker’s nine goal-scoring effort on Thursday as he passed a series of high-scoring chances, seemingly in tears as he counted 1.47 of Barca’s 2.03 goals.
In six games in all Blaugrana competitions so far, Torres has scored two goals. But those goals came from his only two shots on them, the other 15 attempts failed to bother the team’s goalkeepers.
However, coach Xavi believes all of this is part of Barcelona’s life, comparing Torres’ situation with that of Luis Suarez following his departure from Liverpool in 2014.
Suarez, who is out of the 31-goal season at Anfield, has scored just once in his first eight games for his new team.
But the Uruguay striker finished the 2014-15 season with 25 goals, including one in the Champions League final as Barca won the treble. In 2015-16, he scored 59 odd points.
“Now we were comparing ourselves to the living room,” said Xavi, with Suarez who is the last Barca player besides Lionel Messi to try nine shots in the game (against Inter in 2018).
“It happened to Luis Suarez. For the first few months, he seemed to be unable to score. The Barca shirt weighs a few pounds.
“But because of the way [Torres] took the penalty and the work he did for the club, I hope he can play for many years at Barca.
“If he’s in the area, it’s because he’s going to score goals. It’s a matter of having faith and working on it. He had goals for the rest of his life and he will continue to have them. He has complete trust in him.”
Xavi – a summary of his “feelings are very good but the result is not the same” – also discussed the impact of Ousmane Dembele off the bench.
The coach was not happy about the uncomfortable presentation of the midfielder who was looking for a player, but he did hear that the 25-minute demonstration was much appreciated by Barca fans.
“The crowd did not listen to me, but decided,” Xavi said. “Finally, the [stairs] were turned into applause.
“He created things for us. That’s why, we have already ridiculed him, it has happened. News that the whistles have turned into applause.”
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