A nearly happy birthday for Ansu Fati as Barcelona star turns 19

It's hard to believe he's still only 19. On Sunday, Ansu Fati celebrates his birthday in a bittersweet way. The Barcelona forward has recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him for 10 months but another problem has ruled him out of Barça's last two matches.

With the No.10 on his back, Ansi has emerged as the new idol for supporters. Once he returned from the meniscus injury following surgery, he needed just 10 minutes to score his first goal back after coming on as a substitute against Levante in September. It was an instant reminder of his talent.

It's been a tough year for the academy product, who has been operated on four times. However, the light seems to be shining at the end of the tunnel. He gradually returned, first as a substitute and then starting games to allow him to feel like a football player again.

However, a problem in the other knee, not the one he received surgery on, caused him to miss the Rayo Vallecano defeat in midweek. He was also absent for the Alaves draw at Camp Nou on Saturday.

On Sunday he turned 19 and, having made his Barça debut as a 16-year-old, he already feels like an established name among the game's elite. Despite his age, and the fact he's inherited Messi's No.10 and the expectation on his shoulders, he doesn't feel the pressure, he takes it all as motivation.