The Calendar Is Climbing. We are approaching April, and Barça, against all odds, is still alive in all three competitions. In November and December, it might have seemed that Flick's team was deflating and that the season could even become long for them, but once they recovered from that slump, they kept their options intact in La Liga, Champions League, and Copa del Rey. However, the German coach will need all his players to face what's coming; a minimum of 9 matches in 28 days, which poses a physical challenge for a short squad.
The line that has suffered the most wear and tear has been, by far, the offensive one. The culé trident formed by Raphinha, Lewandowski, and Lamime Yamal has gelled so well that they have barely had any rest throughout the season. At this point, it is impossible for all three to play everything in the coming weeks, which is why Ferrán Torres's name becomes especially important in Barcelona's attack. Neither Pau Víctor nor Ansu Fati are in a position to relieve the starters, as the qualitative gap between them is too high, so it will be Foios who allows Flick to distribute minutes up front.
Already next Thursday against Osasuna, it is very likely to find the former Manchester City player in the starting eleven. Raphinha will finally arrive in time to be drafted, but just a few hours after landing in Barcelona and after a transoceanic flight, it is highly unlikely that the Brazilian will be in a condition to start. So the match against the rojillo team could be the first in which Ferrán Torres stops acting as a substitute coming off the bench. From there, in the following matches, the former Valencia player could also give Robert Lewandowski a rest as a center forward. If Flick deems it necessary, his versatility to play on the right wing will also serve to distribute minutes with Lamine.
Foios's records leave no room for doubt. He can't compete for a starting position against any piece of the culé trident, however, the 13 goals scored this season establish him as the third top scorer of the squad and as an important player in Barcelona's attack. The eight goals scored coming off the bench make him a real game-changer for Flick, who often relies on the Valencian winger when things are not going well on the field. No competition has resisted him either, the goals scored, for example, at the Metropolitano in La Liga, at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund in the Champions League, or at Mestalla in the Copa del Rey, are a testament to that.
Thus, two months ahead to know the outcome of the 2024/25 season. Barça has earned the right to dream big, to hear the word treble among the fans again, although winning just one title would already improve a previous season closed without any. There is no doubt that the offensive power of this team is its game-changing factor, being the highest-scoring team in the major European leagues. But Lamine, Lewy, and Raphinha will greatly benefit from a reliable substitute in a calendar full of vital matches, and that fourth man must be Ferrán Torres. The shark's time has come.