Author: German Bona. Published: 10 February 2026.
Ferran Torres’s name resurfaces with particular weight at the Wanda Metropolitano because of what happened last season. The Barça forward—nicknamed the ‘shark’ in the piece—played a decisive role both in the LaLiga meeting and in the Copa del Rey tie held roughly two weeks apart: across those two matches he scored three crucial goals, first helping to cut Barcelona’s gap in the title race and later securing the team’s place in the cup final. This Thursday he will return to Atletico’s ground and, having not started the last two matches, is expected to be rested and eager to make an impact.
This season Flick has deployed Torres as the central striker — the number 9 — and the player has rewarded that trust with goals: he has scored 16 times in 31 appearances. That has turned him into Barcelona’s regular focal point up front, overtaking a legendary scorer like Robert Lewandowski, who has 13 goals in 26 matches this campaign.
Last season Torres featured more often out wide (24 matches) than through the centre (21). The current campaign marks a clear shift: Flick prefers him leading the line in every game. In the most recent fixtures he hasn’t been in the starting XI, instead coming off the bench against both Albacete and Mallorca and playing a little over twenty minutes in each appearance.
Against Mallorca he shared the pitch with Lewandowski until the Pole was substituted 11 minutes after Torres entered; during that spell Ferran drifted wide, recalling his former role. Nevertheless, Flick’s idea is straightforward — to have the ‘shark’ scoring as the centre-forward.
Torres has particular teams he’s effective against: he has netted nine times in 13 games against Betis, five in 11 against Atletico Madrid and five in 14 against Athletic Club. His performances at the Metropolitano were especially notable last season. On the day he reached 100 LaLiga appearances for Barcelona he was introduced on the 68th minute for Dani Olmo; on the 72nd Lewandowski reduced the deficit, six minutes later Ferran headed in a Raphinha cross to level the match, and in added time Lamine and then the Valencian forward completed the scoring to deliver the final result that sealed the victory.
The dates of those key moments are recorded: the first comeback happened on 16 March 2025, and on 2 April Barcelona returned to the Metropolitano for the Copa del Rey semi-final after an extraordinary 4–4 first leg at Montjuïc. In that second-leg cup tie Torres started and scored the only goal on the 27th minute — set up by Lamine Yamal’s clever play and finished by Torres who beat goalkeeper Musso on his rush — which sent Barça through to the final.
So, this Thursday Ferran is back at the Metropolitano, a stadium where he has left big marks, and Flick’s side will count on his attacking edge.
