Ferran Torres has admitted he fell into a ‘bottomless pit’ due to his struggles at Barcelona but remains committed to Xavi’s long-term blue garnet project.
The Spain international struggled in his debut season at the Camp Nou after signing for an initial €55m (£46.3m) deal with Manchester City in December 2021.
Torres’ extravagance last season saw him finish with just four goals in 18 La Liga games despite an expected goal count of 7.03.
This drew some criticism over the striker’s return to Spain as he left Valencia for City in 2020, but he has seen some resurgence in recent weeks following an impressive win against Cadiz on Sunday.
While he continues to struggle for a place at Xavi’s squad, Torres, who has scored just two goals in 19 league appearances this season, has detailed the initial struggle for a place at Barça.
He told reporters, “I felt like I was in a bottomless pit. I’ve never fallen so hard. I promised Javi that I would be myself again.
“I put myself in the hands of a psychologist. I usually go once or twice a week. My family also helped me, I have a very healthy environment.
“I have learned not to focus on goals. I learned to be happy, to face things. I had a bad time, but it was a great opportunity to get to know myself.”
Torres hailed the role of Blaugrana veteran and Spain teammate Sergio Busquets, as well as Barcelona president Joan Laporta, as he struggled to adapt and improve on his disappointing form.
“The President is very close to everyone. All my teammates helped me,” he added. “Busquets told me that I should be calm. That the reward will eventually come.”
The 22-year-old plans to stay and fight to prove his worth at the top of La Liga for Barca, and Xavi’s impressive managerial skills are at the forefront of his reasoning.
“I want to succeed at Barcelona, I see myself here for many years,” he continued. “I am not to blame for the price they wanted to pay for me.
“I wanted to come because this is Barça and you can’t say no.
“Javi called me several times. He has Barça in his veins and has won everything.”
Torres will look to repay Xavi’s trust when Barça travel to Old Trafford on Thursday for the second leg of the Europa League play-off against Manchester United in a 2-2 draw.
“We’ll have to run like there’s no tomorrow. It will be a game of patience and the ability to suffer,” he said.
“The Premier League is a very physical league, but we have a lot of talent and that’s important too. We go with everything and, above all, with young people who are ready to conquer the world.”
