Barça striker Paco Alcacer unpacking his suitcase after Sevilla double

Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer had a happy face after the game against Sevilla at Camp Nou on Saturday. After spending some months in the dark, the Valencian player was able to leave behind any mental blocks and complaints to become the unexpected hero in his side's latest La Liga win. 

For many, Alcacer was more out than in at Barça. His minutes under Ernesto Valverde gave wings to that theory. Unused in the Champions League, he had played just seven minutes in the league in the last two months, often not even named in the squad. 

But the Copa del Rey came around and his committment in a game which many had written off earned him a second chance. Against Murcia, he scored one of the threegoals and also acheived something more important: recovered the confidence that strikers need when they're in front of goal. 

Alcacer was expected to be the replacement for Ousmane Dembele when he got injured in September. But Valverde preferred more natural replacements. But things have changed for the player. 

Those that said Alcacer would be sold in January were too hasty with their predictions. Valverde's seen the striker's committment, not just his two goals but the way he helped in defence, playing much closer to his own area than a striker like him is used to. 

It was a complete night for Paco. His brace (his second as a Barça player) is added to by another interesting statistic worthy of credit: his three recoveries of the ball in defence. 

Alcacer was able to point to the sky to dedicate his goals to his father, who will soon have to share the celebrations with the daughter the Barcelona striker is expecting with his partner.