Ansu Fati and Jesús Navas are two of the most fit players from the start of LaLiga. But not only that brings them closer. The Los Palacios player was one of Ansu's childhood idols. So much so that, in his time at Sevilla (between 2010 and 2012), The Guinean forward bought the boots Navas was wearing and even asked him to sign them. At that time, Navas was already a demigod for Sevilla. He had signed the victory against Atlético in the 2010 Cup final and had started the play of Iniesta's goal in the World Cup final in South Africa.
A decade after that, and although they have already seen each other in the National Team, this Sunday they will be measured in the most exciting face-to-face of the match. Ansu's admiration for Navas has not disappeared. Last season, in the first round match (October 6), Ansu, who had been called up by Valverde, tried to get Navas's shirt, but Jesús had already left the field hurt by 4-0 and it was embarrassing to enter the locker room to ask her. It did not transpire if in the second round, in the hot game that was played at Sánchez Pizjuán, Ansu could take it.
Born in the right interior position, and converted into a winger already in the City by Guardiola and upon his return to Seville, Navas is a competitive animal who has already given two key assists in the two league games he has played (Cádiz and Levante) . Not only that. He has improved his defensive concepts so much that his tagging Lautaro in a counterattack from Inter in the Europa League final went viral. Ansu will have to sweat this Sunday. Up … and down.
A goal from Iraragorri
Ansu Fati is one goal away from equaling the eleven that José Iraragorri, a famous Athletic striker from the 1930s, scored in the League before turning 18. Despite the national team stoppage, the Guinean has almost a month ahead of him to equalize or destroy the record, one more than he has already amassed since he made his debut last season under Ernesto Valverde. Ansu does not seem like a soccer player obsessed with the goal, but they fall out of his pockets. Raised in that position, he knows he appears, he has a good sense of where the action will be generated and he locates the goal well. He has scored three in Barça's first two games, each with a different technical gesture. And he's going for more.