A Painful Realization! Missing the World Cup Title, Fermin Makes 6 Goal Contributions in 4 Games with a Statement of Intent

On September 7 Beijing time, in the fourth round of La Liga, Barcelona defeated Valencia 5-0 away from home. Fermin contributed one goal and two assists in the match and was named MVP. So far, he has scored four goals and provided two assists in four games since the start of the new season, directly contributing to six goals. He is the first Spanish player to achieve this feat since Cesc Fabregas in the 2011-12 season (four goals and four assists).

Missing the MLS/Canada/Mexico World Cup due to injury and failing to experience the final championship moment left Fermin extremely frustrated this summer. Facing the reality that eight players from the club received gold medals, he also received teasing online, whether well-intentioned or harsh — which undoubtedly became his biggest source of motivation for the new season.

Since the start of the season, Fermin proved himself with a brace in the opening match. In the following first-round rescheduled match (the second game), he scored another goal, and in this match he contributed one goal and two assists, fully displaying his ambition.

Just six minutes into the match, he assisted Yamal's opening goal with a brilliant chipped pass from the right side. In the 22nd minute, he received a cutback and fired a left-footed shot into the box to score, completing a goal and an assist. In the 50th minute of the second half, his cross from the right helped Raphinha score at the far post, giving him one goal and two assists in a single match and securing the MVP award.

It should be particularly noted that this Man of the Match award carries significant value. His teammate Raphinha's goal in this match means he currently leads the scoring chart with six goals and one assist. Gordon provided an assist in this match and currently leads the assist chart with four assists. Yamal scored twice in this match and has four goals in four games since the start of the season. They are all outstanding talents.

Despite producing such statistics, Fermin still has to fight for a starting position. Barcelona already has a star-studded midfield, and Spanish veteran Rodri has joined the team this season. The player facing the strongest positional competition with Fermin is World Cup starter Olmo. Even after carrying the team throughout the match, Barcelona head coach Flick only briefly stated after the game: "We have many players who can start. I have to manage these situations well and try to make everyone feel satisfied. I am very satisfied with Olmo, and I know he wants to play more matches. I will work to make better decisions for the team."

An interesting fact is that, as a member of the European Championship-winning squad and a Paris Olympic gold medalist and Golden Boot winner, whether Fermin is a starter or a rotation player at Barcelona, as long as he avoids a major injury, he should not miss the 2028 European Championship with De la Fuente's team because he has already shown his determination two years in advance. Of course, this does not mean his previous season's record of 13 goals and 17 assists in 48 appearances was not impressive; rather, it reflects the feeling that he appears to have evolved again.