Published: October 6, 2021 9:32 pm
Last Updated: October 6, 2021 10:30 pm
Torres on the mark for Spain once again
Spanish international Ferran Torres was once again amongst the goals for La Roja tonight as the Manchester City winger bagged a brace against holding European champions Italy in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League.
The former Valencia starlet and academy graduate put Spain 2-0 up just before half-time thanks to two assists from Real Sociedad maestro Mikel Oyarzabal.
🇪🇸 Ferran Torres has now scored 12 goals in 21 games for Spain ⚽️⚽️#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/SlVsKKUq6Q
— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) October 6, 2021
It was the 11th and 12th international goals for Torres, who has achieved an impressive strike rate for his country in just 21-caps since his debut thirteen months ago against Germany in a 1-1 draw at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
6 – Six of the last seven @FerranTorres20´s shots on target for #Spain #SPA 🇪🇸 in all competitions ended in a goal. Effective.#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/ZfZ9EpCCy1
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 6, 2021
Torres has now bagged 6-goals in his last eight outings for Luis Enrique’s outfit, including two goals at Euro 2020, while developing a knack to find the back of the net against some big opponents. Tonight’s brace against the Azzurri can be added to his hat-trick against Die Mannschaft in November of last year in Spain’s 6-0 demolition job of then manager Joachim Löw’s side, as well as being amongst the goals against Croatia in the round of 16 this summer.
The Foios-native has proven to be a highly effective goalscorer for his country, a facet of his game that has yet to be seen at club level either in his native Spain or in England.
Haphazard form at Manchester City undermining chances
At the time of writing, Ferran Torres was taken off just after half-time by Luis Enrique with fears of a potential hamstring injury, while a chance for a second international hat-trick went begging.
⚽️ 17′
⚽️ 45+2′
➡️ 49′Ferran Torres is forced off injured against Italy and denied the chance to complete a hat-trick.#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/KgTiIsZGh7
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) October 6, 2021
But for the Spanish international winger, his goal return and general all-round play for his country has yet to translate consistently at the Etihad under Pep Guardiola.
To date, Torres has netted on sixteen occasions for the Citizens in 43-appearances. His best return came during City’s run to the Champions League final last season where he bagged 4-goals in six appearances in the competition but failed to make a single appearance after the first-leg in the round of 16.
His 7-goals in 24-appearances in the Premier League last term could be deceiving as well, with three of those goals coming in a hat-trick performance against Newcastle on matchday 36. Torres also endured a four-month dry spell in front of goal between Boxing Day (where he scored against – you guessed it – Newcastle) and the 10th of April.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 19: Ferran Torres of Valencia CF getting into the field during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between Atalanta and Valencia CF at San Siro Stadium on February 19, 2020 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Generally used on the flank for the lions share of his appearances in 2020-21, Torres has started the season through the middle for City in the league on four occasions this term from matchdays 1-4, scoring two goals in the 5-0 rout of Arsenal at home.
He has failed to find any minutes in the league in City’s last three fixtures, however, and one has to wonder if his chance of cementing a key place in Pep’s preferred XI has now all but disappeared after the purchase of Jack Grealish and the swap of Gabriel Jesus out on the flank.
While Ferran Torres has age and time on his side, his position at City could be under increased threat if the club continue to push for reinforcements through the center forward channel unless he finds consistency soon.
Read more:
Manchester City’s Ferran Torres outlines his goals & what he would like to improve on in 2021/22
One man singled out as “the future and the present of the national team ” after Spain edge past Italy
This article was edited by
Ben Browning.
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Premier League table
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Chelsea FC | 7 | 12 | 16 |
| 2 | Liverpool FC | 7 | 11 | 15 |
| 3 | Manchester City | 7 | 11 | 14 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 7 | 8 | 14 |
| 5 | Everton FC | 7 | 5 | 14 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 7 | 3 | 14 |
| 7 | Brentford FC | 7 | 4 | 12 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 7 | -4 | 12 |
| 9 | West Ham United | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 7 | 1 | 10 |
| 11 | Arsenal FC | 7 | -5 | 10 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 | -1 | 9 |
| 13 | Leicester City | 7 | -3 | 8 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 7 | -3 | 7 |
| 15 | Watford FC | 7 | -3 | 7 |
| 16 | Leeds United | 7 | -7 | 6 |
| 17 | Southampton FC | 7 | -5 | 4 |
| 18 | Burnley FC | 7 | -6 | 3 |
| 19 | Newcastle United | 7 | -8 | 3 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 7 | -14 | 1 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 6 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City | 6 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 5 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 4 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 4 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4 |
| Sarr, Ismaila | Watford FC | 4 |
| Townsend, Andros | Everton FC | 3 |
| Benrahma, Said | West Ham United | 3 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 |
| Gray, Demarai | Everton FC | 3 |
| Ronaldo, Cristiano | Manchester United | 3 |
| Lukaku, Romelu | Chelsea FC | 3 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 3 |
| Jota, Diogo | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Hwang, Hee-chan | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 3 |
| Greenwood, Mason | Manchester United | 3 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 2 |
| Jesus, Gabriel | Manchester City | 2 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 0 | 4 |
| Skipp, Oliver | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 4 |
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 0 | 3 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 3 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 0 | 3 |
| Cooper, Liam | Leeds United | 0 | 3 |
| Norgaard, Christian | Brentford FC | 0 | 3 |
| Tarkowski, James | Burnley FC | 0 | 3 |
| Veltman, Joel | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 3 |
| Brownhill, Josh | Burnley FC | 0 | 3 |
| Etebo, Oghenekaro | Watford FC | 0 | 3 |
| Djenepo, Moussa | Southampton FC | 0 | 3 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 0 | 1 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 0 | 2 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 2 |
| Jimenez, Raul | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 2 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 0 | 2 |
| Gallagher, Conor | Crystal Palace | 0 | 2 |
| Alonso, Marcos | Chelsea FC | 0 | 2 |
| Ward Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 1 | 1 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 7 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 4 |
| Jesus, Gabriel | Manchester City | 4 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 3 |
| Saint-Maximin, Allan | Newcastle United | 3 |
| Kovacic, Mateo | Chelsea FC | 3 |
| Townsend, Andros | Everton FC | 2 |
| Benrahma, Said | West Ham United | 2 |
| Ings, Danny | Aston Villa | 2 |
| Toney, Ivan | Brentford FC | 2 |
| Jimenez, Raul | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 2 |
| James, Reece | Chelsea FC | 2 |
| Azpilicueta, Cesar | Chelsea FC | 2 |
| Gross, Pascal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 |
| King, Joshua | Watford FC | 2 |
| Pereira, Ricardo | Leicester City | 2 |
| Alexander-Arnold, Trent | Liverpool FC | 2 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 2 |
