João Félix says he’s loving life at Barcelona after scoring on his full debut in Saturday’s spectacular 5-0 win over Actual Betis in Laiga.
Félix, who joined Barça on a season-long mortgage from Atletico Madrid this month, scored the primary objective on the Olympic Stadium after which dummied an Andreas Christensen go to assist create Robert Lewandowski‘s objective.
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Ferran Torres, Raphinha and João Cancelo had been furthermore on observe as Barça shortly moved prime of LaLiga forward of Actual Madrid‘s recreation within the path of Actual Sociedad on Sunday.
“I’m very absolutely glad to be beginning video video video games as quickly as further, the sentiments are excellent — it’s easy to play on this workforce,” talked about Félix, who spent the second half of final season on mortgage at Chelsea.
“Whilst you’ve gotten constructing and motion into the ball shortly, areas seem and so do targets. I’m absolutely glad, the change has accomplished me good, me and my household, I’m very absolutely glad correct proper right here.”
Félix, 23, has been backed to flourish at Barça after 4 up-and-down seasons at Atletico following his €126 million change from Portuguese side Benfica in 2019.
Native media have instructed Barça’s model will swimsuit him bigger, though coach Xavi Hernandez didn’t wish to be drawn into making comparisons with Atletico, saying he has “a whole lot of respect” for his or her coach Diego Simeone.
Nonetheless, Xavi poured reward on Barça’s two newest signings, with Cancelo, who has joined on mortgage from Manchester Metropolis, furthermore impressing on his full debut within the path of Betis.
“Each Joaos are actually absolutely glad correct proper right here and chances are you’ll even see that,” Xavi talked about in a knowledge convention. “Nobody doubts their particular specific individual high quality. You see them put collectively and likewise you see how good they’re.
“Cancelo joins us after working with, for me, among the many most interesting coach on the planet [Pep Guardiola] and he interprets the sport so appropriately. He understands what we want.
“We labored on the positioning of the full-backs this week. We’d have appreciated to hunt for Cancelo inside the center and for [Alejandro] Balde to stretch the pitch. We appeared for that superiority in midfield. If we’re further positional, we’ll assault bigger.
“Each Cancelo and Félix present choices that assist enhance the workforce. Bodily, they’re sturdy. They improve the standard contained in the squad. They’re the place they wish to be [at Barça].”
Torres scored the third objective, ending a run of over two years since Barça final scored from a direct free-kick, relationship as soon as extra to Lionel Messi‘s effort within the path of Valencia in Could 2021.
It was Torres’ fifth objective for membership and nation in as many video video video games this season and comes on the as soon as extra of a summer season season season when he doubled down on his workload and nicknamed himself the ‘shark.’
“Ferran deserves your entire credit score rating ranking,” Xavi added. “He steered me very clearly inside the summertime he needed to remain and that in his head he solely needed to succeed at Barça.
“He’s solely 23, he nonetheless has a whole lot of room to spice up and ambition. Hardly anybody believed in him and he has confirmed spectacular psychological energy. I’m delighted for him.
“He’s an environment friendly infant. He all the time provides 100% regardless of how fairly a bit he performs. He has acquired a whole lot of criticism at Barça and he has confirmed unimaginable psychological energy to flip the state of affairs on its head.”
Torres didn’t uncover out about Barça’s free-kick drought.
“I didn’t know we hadn’t scored a free-kick since Messi,” he steered reporters. “It may have been anybody, nonetheless I’m delighted it was me. I used to be truly making an attempt to put it beneath the bar, nonetheless when factors are going appropriately, the entire gadgets appears to return once more off.
“I’ve a whole lot of self-confidence in the mean time. I’m working onerous and I’ll keep doing so. [Lewandowski] will need the following free-kick as quickly as further, nonetheless these choices are made in-game, so we’ll see.”
