The healthiest competition that Hansi Flick must manage

BarcelonaAfter resting both against Guadalajara, Hansi Flick must once again choose between Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres to lead the line in their visit to Villarreal on Sunday. In the last five matches in which both players have been available, the manager opted to start the Valencian striker against Osasuna – the Polish player had hamstring discomfort – and Betis, while Lewandowski started against Eintracht Frankfurt, Atlético Madrid, and Alavés. Ferran is enjoying a rich vein of form. With 11 goals in 16 league matches, he is the fourth-highest scorer in Europe's top five leagues. He is only surpassed by Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), with 18 goals; Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), with 17; and Erling Haaland (City), also with 17. However, in the last match Lewandowski started, the former Bayern player disappointed, although it's true that Eintracht, the second-worst defense in the Bundesliga (29 goals conceded in 14 matches), opted for a much more defensive approach. That day the striker found the net, with a good finish from a Raphinha cross on the left wing, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Little else. In contrast, Ferran had just scored a hat trick In Barça's express comeback at La Cartuja against Betis.

Lewandowski (37 years old) has always been a professional in the penalty area, a pure center forward, whose historical records led him to win the European Golden Boot in the 2020-21 (41 goals) and 2021-22 (35) seasons with Bayern Munich before arriving at Barça. Ferran Torres (25 years old), on the other hand, had his first experience as a striker under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, months before signing for Barça in the winter transfer window of the 2021-22 season. The absences in this position in the squad citizens This led the Catalan coach to try the attacker from Foios, who had excelled as a winger at Valencia, and the experiment worked. As a Barcelona player, he is making this position his own to the point of creating healthy competition for Flick, as the coach himself stated just a few days ago.

Comparison of data between Ferran and Lewandowski

The distinct characteristics of both players are reflected in their performance data. According to statistics provided to ARA by the specialized firm Opta, the analyzed parameters show that Ferran scores more, is involved more, and recovers more balls than Lewandowski, although the Polish player loses possession slightly less often than the Valencian and has a slightly higher percentage of interventions inside the penalty area. Number 11 started in 15 of 21 matches (1,262 minutes) and was directly involved in 14 goal-scoring plays (13 goals and one assist), while number 9 started in 10 of 17 matches (888 minutes) and participated in 9 goal-scoring plays (18 matches).

Ferran scores a goal every 97 minutes, while Lewandowski scores every 111. The Valencian player enters the opposition's penalty area 17% of the time (compared to his total interventions), while the Polish striker does so 24% of the time. However, Ferran successfully completes an average of 10 passes per game (72% accuracy). One of the main differences can also be found in the intensity of their pressing: Ferran has recovered 26 balls, 10 more than Lewandowski, although the striker from Foios has played more.

Ferran and Lewandowski can also play together

Lewandowski is made to occupy one position, center forward, but Ferran, who at Barça has played every attacking role imaginable – even as an attacking midfielder under Xavi Hernández – can play on the wing and share the starting eleven with the former Bayern player. In the last two matches where they both started, there was a disappointing one (the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea) and a resounding one, the 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club, with a brace from Ferran and a goal from Lewandowski. Generally speaking, both wings already have their masters: Lamine Yamal is untouchable on the right, while on the left Raphinha is the starter and Rashford the main alternative.

The competition is on for the wing position. 9Lewandowski's contract expires this season, and although Barça maintains that "it's still too early" to discuss it, finishing the season with strong performances could open the door to a fifth season for the Polish striker. However, this would require a reduced salary. Ferran Torres, whose contract with Barça ends next season, has not yet received any approach from the club to begin renewal talks. The player, for his part, has always publicly stated his desire to succeed at Barça. It's an election year, the center-forward position will be up for debate, and we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, Flick has some healthy competition to manage.