Barcelona forward could be rested against Napoli – sources

Since he arrived at Barcelona, Ferran Torres has been untouchable in Xavi’s system. From his very first game in the garnet-and-blue, the manager has demonstrated his complete faith in the young winger and awarded him back-to-back starts.

According to reports from SPORT, Torres could be rested for Barcelona’s clash against Napoli tomorrow. The former Manchester City player has not had much rest in recent weeks and is likely to start on the bench at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium.

In his place, Adama Traore or Ousmane Dembele could get a start against Napoli. Gavi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are expected to complete the attacking trio for the Europa League clash.

Xavi has heavily advocated rotation in his lineup decisions since he took over at Barcelona. Ferran and Jordi Alba are the only two players who have not been rested in recent games.

Though the game on Thursday is crucial for the Blaugranas pursuit of silverware in Europe, Xavi is equally focussed on La Liga. With a difficult test against Athletic Club scheduled for the weekend, one can understand the decision to rest the forward.

Nevertheless, Torres will be used as a weapon off the bench at Naples. His dribbling and versatility on the flank can provide the team with a lot of opportunities against Napoli’s tired legs in the second half.

One must not forget that Torres had a difficult night against Napoli at Camp Nou last week. The winger was seen in tears after the game over missed chances. With the chance to make a statement against the same opposition, he will look to make the most of the minutes he gets.