Ferran Torres scored his 15th goal of the season for Barcelona on Thursday night to help send the Catalan giants into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona’s ‘Shark’ is now the team’s top scorer in the 2025-26 season and has 11 goals in La Liga, two in the Champions League and one each in the Super Cup and the Copa del Rey. He’s the only Barca player to have scored in all four competitions.
For all the criticism he’s received and the doubts
that hang over him still, there’s simply no denying that 15 goals from 26 outings is a very good return.
He’s also repaying the faith in him shown by Hansi Flick. The German coach seems to have made Ferran his No. 1 choice for the No. 9 position this season, dropping the ageing Robert Lewandowski down to a supporting role.
Lewandowski has still done his job, racking up 10 goals from 21 appearances, and has also accepted his reduced role with good grace.
Yet Ferran is adamant the No. 9 spot is now his and he’s desperate to keep hold of it.
“I knew this season would be different for me. I am prepared to be Barça’s striker,” he said after the win over Racing. “I’ve always said it. I have a lot of self-confidence and I’m ready to keep on playing as a starter.”
We still don’t know what will happen with Lewandowski in the summer, whether he’ll stay or go, but Ferran is certainly making a strong case to be the club’s first choice No. 9 again next season.
Barcelona continue to be linked with all kinds of big-name strikers but we all know how difficult summer transfers will be once again for the Catalans due to their financial issues.
Yet Torres is currently very much on target to become a 20-goal a season striker for Barcelona which may well factor into the club’s thinking when it comes to summer signings.
