Ansu Fati overcomes Betis demons with another comeback goal

There are people that are born with gifts who, unconsciously (or consciously, who knows?), are able to close chapters in the best way possible. Ansu Fati is one of them. On Saturday night at the Benito Villamartin, he managed to overcome the demons that have been pursuing him since he was injured against Real Betis in November 2020.

Ansu's first-team career at Barça actually started against Betis. It was on Aug. 25, 2019, in the second league game of the season when aged 16 years and 298 days, he made his debut for the club, becoming the second youngest player in the Blaugrana's history to pull on the shirt.

However, 18 months ago, the next chapter of his career also came against Betis when he suffered a terrible injury that's ruled him out practically until now. He underwent surgery several times on a meniscus injury in the left knee. It was a setback that left him sidelined for almost an entire year and has marked his career so far.

On Saturday, after returning from a hamstring injury, he made his second appearance of his latest comeback and just his 12th since that Betis injury. He came on for Ferran Torres with the scoreline goalless. It was the first time he had faced Betis since that night on Nov. 7, 2020. Exactly 18 months later.

Barely a minute had passed with Ansu on the pitch when he took a ball from Jordi Alba on the edge of the box and wrong-footed goalkeeper Rui Silva to open the scoring. There are people that are born with a gift. Ansu is one of them.

It was then when the La Masia graduate woke up from the nightmare he's been living, just as last September, when he first returned against Levante with a goal. That celebration, pointing to the sky at Camp Nou, elevated by his teammates, will accompany him for the rest of his life.