Tag: Ferran Torres

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Torres rescues draw for Xavi’s men

Ferran Torres rescued a 1-1 draw for Barcelona in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt, who finished with 10 men.

After a goalless first half at Deutsche Bank Park on Thursday, Ansgar Knauff sent the home fans into raptures with a wonderful finish from 20 yards out. 

Xavi sent Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele on in response and the pair started a lovely move that ended with Torres slotting an equaliser into the bottom-left corner. 

And although Tuta was shown a second yellow card with just over 10 minutes remaining, Barca were unable to complete a dramatic late turnaround to snatch the victory.

Kevin Trapp’s fingertip save kept Torres at bay in the third minute and Djibril Sow failed to hit the target from a great opening at the other end. 

Barca dominated possession but Trapp denied Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and they lost Gerard Pique to an apparent groin injury – Clement Lenglet replacing him in the 23rd minute. 

Eintracht were awarded a penalty shortly before half-time but upon reviewing video footage, referee Srdjan Jovanovic deemed Sergio Busquets had won the ball in his challenge on Rafael Borre. 

The hosts took the lead just three minutes after the restart, though, as Knauff curled a great strike into the top-right corner from the edge of the box following a corner. 

Jesper Lindstrom missed a brilliant chance to double Eintracht’s lead 90 seconds later and it proved costly when De Jong – who had only been on the pitch for four minutes – teed up Torres to finish off a slick move. 

Tuta was shown a yellow card for a lunge on Pedri in the 78th minute but Barca were unable to make their numerical advantage count in the closing stages. 

After overcoming Inter en route to the semi-finals in 2018-19, knocking out another of Europe’s most prestigious clubs remains a distinct possibility for Eintracht this season. 

Although they were unable to become the first German team other than Bayern Munich to beat Barca in a European game since Bayer Leverkusen in September 2001 – the Blaugrana are now undefeated in 22 such matches they will still fancy their chances at Camp Nou. 

He may have missed a great chance early in the second half, but Lindstrom was a real thorn in the side of Barca with his electric pace. He supplied four key passes – more than any other player on the pitch – before being replaced in the 73rd minute. 

He has made a strong start to life at Barca but Aubameyang was far from his best in Germany. 

He only had one attempt on goal across the 90 minutes and completed fewer than half of his passes. 

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FERRAN TORRES TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS HOURS AFTER BARCELONA UNVEILING

Barcelona new boy Ferran Torres is raring to get started after completing his move from Manchester City, but may have to wait following news he returned a positive coronavirus test hours after his unveiling.

The 21-year-old Spain international has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract, which is understood to be worth an initial £46.7 million (€55.7 million), and a further £8.5m in potential add-ons. Barca have set a €1 billion buyout clause into the deal.

Torres had hoped to be back in action for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Real Madrid on January 12th, though his debut could be delayed after the Catalan club announced he had tested positive for Covid-19 along with team-mate Pedri.

A Barca statement on Monday evening read: “Pedri and Ferran Torres have tested positive for Covid-19. The players are in good health and are isolated at home.”

Torres was presented at the Nou Camp on Monday morning, and spoke of having his focus set firmly on taking the LaLiga giants back to their former glories.

“I am facing this challenge with ambition, humility and a lot of desire,” he said.

“When I left Manchester City I had the idea of coming back to LaLiga and Barca showed an interest.

“I am an ambitious player and I like a challenge. I want to take Barca back to where it belongs.”

Torres signed for City from Valencia in the summer of 2020 for £20.9m, but spent just 16 months at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 16 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions.

The forward had made only seven club appearances this season, after breaking a metatarsal while on international duty during October.

Torres was not thought to be unhappy at City, with whom he won the Premier League last season and also helped reach the final of the Champions League.

“(City boss Pep) Guardiola is one of the best in the world and he played me in different positions,” Torres said on Barcelona’s website.

“I have learnt a lot from him at Manchester City and will take many nice memories of my time there.

“I can play across various positions and I will adapt well. I will play in the position that the (Barca) coach says, it does not matter to me which one he asks.”

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident Torres can fulfil his potential at the Nou Camp.

“You are young, but you already have plenty of experience,” Laporta said to Torres during the presentation.

“We knew about Ferran’s situation and we were very pleased that he wanted to come to Barca so much. He is a great player.”

Barca have been beset by financial difficulties in recent months, but were able to fund the Torres deal after securing a bank loan.

Director of football Mateu Alemany is confident there will be no issues in completing the formalities of the transfer.

“The truth of the situation is that when we signed Ferran Torres, we knew we did not have room in terms of salaries,” Alemany said.

“However, we have been making moves in different areas and we are convinced we can register him.”

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MANCITY AGREE DEAL TO SELL FERRAN TORRES TO BARCELONA FOR €55 MILLION

Manchester City have agreed a £46.7million (€55 million) fee with Barcelona for the sale of Ferran Torres, the PA news agency understands.

The 21-year-old Spain forward is now set to move to the Nou Camp when the transfer window formally opens in January.

The deal, which is subject to the agreement of personal terms, could also be worth a further £8.5million to City in add-ons.

With £5.9million of that contained in clauses likely to be activated, the Premier League champions feel the transfer represents good business for a player they signed for £20.9million last year.

City were not looking to sell, and nor is Torres thought to be unhappy at the Etihad Stadium, but he became keen on the move after learning of the Catalan giants’ interest.

Torres has scored 16 goals – including a hat-trick at Newcastle last season – in 43 appearances in all competitions for City since joining from Valencia in the summer of 2020.

He was signed primarily as a winger but has also impressed as a makeshift centre-forward in Pep Guardiola’s side.

He was part of the side that won the Premier League last season but has played just seven times this season after breaking a metatarsal while on international duty in October. He is expected to be sidelined until the new year.

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FERRAN TORRES NETS HAT-TRICK AS MANCITY EDGE NEWCASTLE IN SEVEN GOAL THRILLER

Ferran Torres plundered a hat-trick as Premier League champions Manchester City came from behind twice to edge a seven-goal thriller at Newcastle.

A much-changed City side with a Champions League final to come trailed 1-0 to Emil Krafth’s header and 3-2 from Joe Willock’s rebound following a missed penalty, with Joao Cancelo, Joelinton – from the spot – and Torres scoring in between at St James’ Park.

However, the Spain international leveled after 64 minutes and then won it two minutes later as a rip-roaring encounter finished 4-3 to the visitors.

Pep Guardiola’s men sit 13 points clear at the top of the table as a result, but Newcastle, who secured their top-flight status last weekend – helping head coach Steve Bruce claim the Manager of the Month award for April in the process – made life distinctly uncomfortable for them at times.

Guardiola sprang something of a surprise ahead of kick-off when he handed 35-year-old loan goalkeeper Scott Carson a debut for the club and a first Premier League appearance in almost 10 years, but he saw little action early on as the visitors dominated both possession and territory, although without threatening.

Gabriel Jesus volleyed just wide after Federico Fernandez and Paul Dummett got into a muddle under an eighth-minute high ball, and Torres stabbed an attempt past the post after Ilkay Gundogan and Cancelo had linked superbly down the left five minutes later.

With Gundogan, Rodri and Bernardo Silva conducting affair from the middle of the field, the Magpies were penned back deep inside their own half for extended periods, although it was they who took the lead with 25 minutes gone after Kyle Walker had blocked Joelinton’s shot out for a corner.

Jonjo Shelvey sent the set-piece to the far post where Krafth rose to power a header past the helpless Carson.

The keeper needed the help of the crossbar to spare his side further damage 10 minutes later after Shelvey’s free-kick had cleared both the defensive wall and his out-stretched hand, and Newcastle’s fortunes took a significant turn for the worse before the break.

First keeper Martin Dubravka was wrong-footed as Cancelo’s driven 39th-minute shot clipped Jacob Murphy’s heels and flew across him and inside the far post, and he could only look on in horror once again three minutes later when Torres dispatched a Gundogan free-kick with an imperious flick.

But it was Carson who was picking the ball out of his net for a second time deep into first-half stoppage time when – after a lengthy VAR check – referee Kevin Friend awarded a penalty for Nathan Ake’s clumsy challenge on Joelinton and the Brazilian smashed the spot-kick home to level.

The visitors continued to enjoy the great share of the ball after the break but were repeatedly let down by an uncharacteristic imprecision and it was Newcastle who created the more promising openings.

However, in a madcap four minutes, City fell behind and then surged ahead when, after Willock had netted the rebound after his 62nd-minute penalty miss, having been tripped by Walker, Torres leveled from Jesus’ cross and then completed his treble, following up as Cancelo’s shot came back of the post.

The champions appeared to decide the best way to prevent an equaliser was to simply not allow their opponents the ball while attempting to fashion a fifth goal, and in the event, they saw out time comfortably.