
<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>
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<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>
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<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.

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Barcelona grinds out win at Porto in Champions League

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Psychologist helped Ferran Torres get out of 'bottomless pit'