Everything was joy at Barça... except for one. Montjuïc became a hotbed of euphoria over the three titles won. But Ansu Fati experienced the celebration from the stands, in silence, almost like a spectator detached from the party.
The one who was meant to be Messi's heir, the number 10 of Barça's hope, did not participate in the team's celebrations. He went down to the field but did not join in the chants or the communion with the fans. That did not go unnoticed by anyone.
Fati is out of the project. His loan to Brighton did not help to relaunch him, and despite having minutes in recent matches, he knows that his time at Barça is nearing its end.
Neither Flick counts on him, nor does Deco see him as essential. Laporta, despite the affection, can't keep a high salary without sporting performance.
a party without the number 10
Montjuïc was a party, but for Ansu, there was no ovation, no words, no tributes. No one handed him the mic to say goodbye.
No one pointed him out as a piece of the future. He saw it all from the outside, as if he were no longer part of Barça. Perhaps he no longer is.
Club sources assure that his departure is a matter of days. There are offers from the Premier League, and there is no shortage of interested clubs, but the player still dreams of succeeding at Barça. Although that dream seems more like a chimera than a real possibility.
The image is powerful: Barça's party without its number 10. A symbol that was everything and today is almost nothing.
jorge mendes looks for a destination
His agent, Jorge Mendes, is looking for a destination for him. Although his departure will not be easy. He has a contract in force until 2027 and will only leave if he is paid what he has signed for during this time.
Laporta seeks to make his departure as least burdensome as possible for the club's economy, but Flick is inflexible. He doesn't want him in his squad next season.
Ansu Fati has already told the club that his intention is to stay at Barça until the end of his contract, but in the coming hours, his departure will be a fact. There will be no more opportunities; he has had them and has not taken advantage of them.