
<p>At the expense of Robert Lewandowski, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a> managed a crucial win over <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/fc-porto-tv-schedule-for-viewers-in-united-states/">Porto</a> in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">UEFA Champions League</a> group stage. The hosts had several chances to score, and Porto actually had the ball in the net. However, any goal from the Portuguese side did not count. Barcelona shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen put together a masterclass in net to preserve a 1-0 shutout for the visitors.</p>



<p>Barcelona entered this game with less-than-fond memories of playing in Portugal. In the 2021/22 Champions League group stage, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/beleaguered-barcelona-thumped-by-benfica-in-champions-league-20210929-CMS-347121.html">Barcelona lost 3-0</a> at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/benfica-tv-schedule/">Benfica</a>. In the COVID-affected 2019/20 season, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/brutal-bayern-hit-eight-in-stunning-defeat-of-barcelona-20200814-CMS-308172.html">Barcelona lost 8-2 in Lisbon</a> to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern Munich</a>. Wednesday evening was a step in the right direction for Xavi’s side.</p>



<p>To avoid some of those blemishes, Barcelona sat back early on. Porto, which won its opening game in the group stage against Shakhtar Donetsk, pushed forward. After Joao Felix had chances for Barcelona, Porto answered with Stephen Eustaquio. However, the German goalkeeper answered his attempt.</p>



<h5>Lewandowski’s substitute grabs the only goal</h5>



<p>Barcelona earned some bad news in the early stage of the game. Robert Lewandowski took an awkward challenge from David Carmo. While not malicious in the slightest, Lewandowski needed a substitution. Ferran Torres replaced the Polish international to lead the Barcelona line. </p>



<p>Torres was not Xavi’s preferred option, but he made the most of his opportunity in first-half stoppage time. Ilkay Gundogan picked up a loose ball from Porto in the middle of the park. He played in Torres, who was through on goal. The Spaniard tucked the ball between the legs of Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Ferran Torres punishes Porto. 🫠 <a href="https://t.co/QHkSnpOgri">pic.twitter.com/QHkSnpOgri</a></p>— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1709658886985154633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Barcelona took advantage of the Porto mistake to snag a lead it would not relinquish. </p>



<h2>Barcelona hangs on in win over Porto in Champions League</h2>



<p>In the second half, all the statistics pointed in favor of Porto. The hosts mustered three great chances in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but none came off with a goal. With 15 minutes left in the game, Porto thought it had a lifeline with a penalty. Joao Cancelo handled the ball in his own box. However, VAR stepped in. Barcelona got off unscathed because the referees deemed Eustaquio used him arm to play the ball just before that. It was a narrow decision that went in favor of the visitors, much to the frustration of the home supporters.</p>



<p>Not long after, Porto had the ball in the back of the net. Mehdi Taremi’s sensational overhead kick beat ter Stegen. However, the pass to the Iranian came when he was in an offside position. Therefore, referees quickly flagged it down. </p>



<p>With Barcelona preserving its one-goal lead, Gavi picked up a second yellow. The Spanish midfielder dragged Wendell back for a second time in the game, while the other was in the first half. However, it slowed down a Porto attack, and that helped keep Barcelona in the lead.</p>



<p>Barcelona now has <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1709677038188028036" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">six points after two games</a> in this season’s UEFA Champions League. Porto remains in second in the group based on goal differential after its matchday one win. Barcelona is back on the road later this month to face Shakhtar Donetsk. Meanwhile, Porto will have a chance to secure points with a home game over Royal Antwerp.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Action Plus</em></p>


Barcelona grinds out win at Porto in Champions League

At the expense of Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona managed a crucial win over Porto in the UEFA Champions League group stage.


<p>Ferran Torres has revealed that he began seeing a psychologist last year to help his mental health. The 22-year-old winger departed <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">Manchester City</a> for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a> last January in a $60 million move. His time with Barca, however, has not exactly gone as panned so far.</p>



<p>The Spanish giants finished second in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/la-liga-tv-schedule/">LaLiga</a> last season and were bounced out early in the Copa del Rey and Champions League tournaments. After being transferred to the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/europa-league-tv-schedule/">Europa League</a>, Barca only made it to the quarterfinal stage of the competition. Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt beat Barca at Camp Nou to knock out the Spaniards and advance.</p>



<p>Along with the team underperforming, Torres has also dealt with personal problems as well. He arrived to Barca with a broken bone in his foot and then only scored in three of 18 LaLiga matches in his freshman season in Spain. </p>



<h5>‘Everything was affecting me’ </h5>



<p>“I found myself in a bottomless pit and I could not see a way out,” Torres said <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona-espbarcelona/story/4884088/barcelonas-ferran-torres-seeing-psychologist-helped-me-from-bottomless-pit-after-man-city-move" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> during recent a press conference. “It had never happened to me before. That was the moment when I decided to work with a psychologist.”</p>



<p>“I lost my confidence. Everything was affecting me. Seeing [a psychologist] will become increasingly normalized in football. There are weeks when I don’t go and others when I go three times. We don’t always talk about football, we also talk about my private life.”</p>



<p>“It’s been painful, but at the same time it has been one of the best experiences because now I feel stronger.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sergi Roberto opens the scoring for Barcelona after a brilliant dribble from Ferran Torres! 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/64QYusqmmK">pic.twitter.com/64QYusqmmK</a></p>— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1627410427998261248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2>Psychologist helped Ferran Torres and goal obsession</h2>



<p>Torres also discussed how he changed his mindset after seeing the psychologist. “I became more obsessed with scoring goals than playing well,” continued the winger. “I wanted to be a player that I am not. I didn’t care if I had bad games, I just wanted to score.”</p>



<p>Despite the fact that he’s not playing as much this season as he would like, Torres certainly seems to be in a better place mentally. “I have always been a player that runs at the opposition and creates. I am usually good in front of goal, too, but I went through a bad spell and I did not know how to manage it. Now I have learned to go out and enjoy myself.”</p>



<p>Torres returns to England on Thursday, as Barcelona plays <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a>. The massive Europa League matchup will determine which powerhouse club reaches the round of 16 in the competition.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>


Barcelona's Ferran Torres has claimed that a psychologist has helped him deal with a plethora of issues upon his arrival.

Psychologist helped Ferran Torres get out of 'bottomless pit'

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>Barcelona’s resurgence under Xavi seemed to reach a head in early April.</p>
<p>Barcelona defeated second-place Sevilla courtesy of a magnificent Pedri strike in the 72nd minute. The squad trotted around the field applauding fans. At the time, Barcelona shot itself into second in the LaLiga table, a far cry from where it was just six months prior. The win also came on the back of the club’s biggest result of the year.</p>
<p>Two weeks earlier, just before the March international break, Barcelona went to Madrid and dismantled its biggest rivals. As Piqué, one of Barcelona’s leaders, put it, “<a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/3gerardpique/status/1505664571138351105">we are back</a>.”</p>
<p>It was Barcelona’s first win over Real Madrid since 2019. The confidence and emotion on the pitch heavily contrasted just months prior. <a href="https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/barcelona-news-antoine-griezmann-messi-24888792">Lionel Messi and Griezmann left</a>, <a href="https:\/\/www.skysports.com/football/news/11833/12413637/ronald-koeman-sacked-by-barcelona">Barcelona sacked Ronald Koeman</a>. Now, Barcelona was on top of the world Barcelona was on top of the world, at least based on form and potential.</p>
<p>It would not be possible without the person at the helm. Xavi’s innovative tactics and calculated transfers revolutionized an awry Barcelona club. In just a couple months, he appeared to return the Catalan side to one of the better clubs in Europe.</p>
<p>However, what makes the extraordinary story even more unbelievable was what came before it. <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/08/18/barcelonas-1-5-billion-debt-how-a-mega-club-fell-into-a-financial-black-hole-and-lost-its-star/">Billions of dollars in debt</a>, a self-inflicted storm nearly destroyed Barcelona.</p>
<h5>Koeman and chaos</h5>
<p>As a player, Ronald Koeman scored the game-winning goal for Barcelona’s first European Cup in 1992. Like other clubs in Europe, Barcelona sought to revitalize the squad’s energy with a <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/11/17/gauging-the-success-of-former-players-as-managers/">former player as manager</a>. Understanding the history of the Blaugrana, Koeman had successful stints at Ajax and PSV in the Eredivisie.</p>
<p>Koeman started off poorly, as Barcelona looked like a shadow of its old self. Barca finished third, its worst finish in LaLiga since 2008, in 2020/21. In the Champions League, a 5-2 aggregate loss against PSG sent the club packing in the round of 16. Despite the struggles, Koeman maintained some hope by leading Barcelona to a Copa del Rey title.</p>
<p>Then, Koeman oversaw relative disaster at the club. Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann departed in the summer, much as a result of the Barcelona board’s irresponsible finances. Using a rag-tag squad of unproven players, Barcelona only brought in Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia to replace the outgoing stars.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, Barcelona floundered. It fell to an eye-opening ninth when Barcelona sacked Koeman.</p>
<p>They failed not only in Spain, but they did in Europe as well. They found themselves frequently <a href="https:\/\/www.barcablaugranes.com/2021/9/29/22700768/benfica-barcelona-champions-league-final-score-match-report-recap-reactions">outclassed by Benfica and Bayern</a>. Despite two wins against Dynamo Kyiv, it suffered relegation to the Europa League.</p>
<p>Koeman walked into the Camp Nou as a storied Barca star who had both Messi, Griezmann and more stars at his disposal. Following a string of mediocrity, disappointment, and heartbreak, Koeman left Barcelona as a frail shell of itself.</p>
<h3>Barcelona’s resurgence under Xavi</h3>
<p>Despite Koeman’s messy reign as Barcelona manager, Barca rebounded like no other. Appointing club hero Xavi provided glimpses of the Barcelona identity that players and managers like Johan Cruyff or Pep Guardiola helped to build. From matchday 18, Barcelona kept an unbeaten streak in league play spanning around four months.</p>
<p>Their recent results are thanks to the <a href="https:\/\/themastermindsite.com/2022/01/09/xavi-hernandez-fc-barcelona-tactical-analysis/">penetrative off-ball movements</a> and the <em>tiki-taka</em> playstyle Xavi perfected in his playing days. Instead of the quick, rapid-fire counter-attacks favored in modern-day football, Xavi, like prior iterations of Barcelona, elects for a possession-based offense complete with flashy wing play. His reliance on wingers and full-backs helps overwhelm opposing defense and get the ever-common goals Barca desperately needs.</p>
<p>Big wins over the two Madrid clubs accented Barcelona’s return to the upper echelon of Spanish football. In early February, Barcelona trounced Atletico Madrid 4-2 with the help of their explosive attack. Jordi Alba, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, and Dani Alves all found the net as Barcelona rocketed up the table.</p>
<p>In late March, Xavi and his squad headed to the Santiago Bernabeu looking to close a seemingly impossible gap with Real Madrid. While the league may have been out of reach, El Clásico is always a game to play for. Pride was also at stake, as Barca had previously dropped the last four games against Real in LaLiga play.</p>
<p>Barca showed they were a new team, reformed under the leadership of Xavi. Aubameyang’s brace, complemented by goals from Araujo and Torres, helped show Barcelona was nothing like what the world laughed at in November.</p>
<div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-356558" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20220425_WST_381411_Xavi-Unveiling.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=800" alt="Former Players as managers" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/11/Xavi-Unveiling.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/11/Xavi-Unveiling-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/11/Xavi-Unveiling-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/11/Xavi-Unveiling-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/11/Xavi-Unveiling-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div>
<h5>Stumble near the end</h5>
<p>Barcelona’s rampant form hit an unpredictable and screeching halt in mid-April.</p>
<p>Eintracht Frankfurt, a mid-table side in the Bundesliga, beat Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Europa League. the German side advanced 4-3 on aggregate. Even more disheartening for Barcelona fans was the number of Frankfurt fans in the stands. White shirts stood out among the red and blue supporters.</p>
<p>Following this loss, two losses over Barca’s next three games transpired. Rather than losing to a club like Sevilla, Real Sociedad or another strong team, these losses came at the hands of teams in the bottom half of the LaLiga table. Cádiz and Ray Vallecano both won in Barcelona in monumental victories for those clubs.</p>
<p>It is more than likely that Barcelona gets back to the Champions League next season. That being said, there is still reason to compete in the league. Seeding in the Champions League is one thing, but qualification to the Supercopa de España provides financial support. Clearly, that is something Barcelona desperately needs.</p>
<p>Plus, the Catalans still must prove they can hoist the world’s biggest trophies without Lionel Messi. That starts in LaLiga.</p>
<p>Under this manager, it is achievable. Barcelona’s resurgence under Xavi will be under the microscope with slim margins and narratives at play.</p>
<h5>Fire in the market</h5>
<p>For a side that got crashes out of Europe, remains millions of dollars in debt, has an unproven manager in European soccer and plays a very particular style under said manager, Barcelona acquires interest from notable players.</p>
<p>This season alone, Xavi managed to acquire Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Adama Traore from Premier League clubs for a combined $60 million. Of course, Aubameyang and Traore came on free transfers.</p>
<p>The three of them have had ups and downs with Barcelona, contributing important moments along the way. Aubameyang has been especially impactful. Nine goals in 12 league games is a strong return.</p>
<p>The Gabonese attacker and legendary player rapidly fell out with Arsenal fans and Gunners gaffer Mikel Arteta. Disciplinary issues and a row with Arteta surrounding Auba’s messy exit from the Emirates.</p>
<blockquote><p>“My last few months at Arsenal were complicated, that’s football sometimes. For my part, I never wanted to do anything wrong. My problem was only with Arteta. I can’t say much more, I wasn’t happy. It was just him and he made that decision. He wasn’t happy, I can’t tell you more. He wasn’t very happy, I was very calm,” Aubameyang claimed.</p></blockquote>
<p>Journalists like <a href="https:\/\/twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1508556777201229828">Fabrizio Romano report</a> that Barcelona’s shopping in the transfer market is not over yet. AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie and Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen are set to play in the blue and red of Barcelona in the coming summer, and club president Joan Laporta says there could be more signings to come. That is notwithstanding the financial obstacles Laporta and company must overcome.</p>
<p>It is an encouraging sign for fans. Barcelona’s resurgence under Xavi comes as a result of pulling consistency out of what was a mediocre side. Now, it looks to form one of the most solid squads in LaLiga to rival Real.</p>
<p><em>PHOTO: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images</em></p>


Barcelona's resurgence under Xavi took a hit over recent struggles. However, the squad is in a comfortable spot to learn from this.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Ferran Torres"

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