Fermín López had a breakthrough season at Barcelona, he is a proper catalyst for the team whenever he is on the pitch. He had a significant growth this season at Barcelona under Hansi Flick, which no one is talking about. Fermin was a talent discovered by Xavi during the United States of America pre-season tour last season. Fermin showed his class in the El Classico where he scored a brilliant left foot power shot against Real Madrid, with their best goalkeeper Thibuat Courtois being in goal. From that day to this day, Fermin has been crucial for FC Barcelona and his growth under Flick should be discussed more.
Fermín’s Stat that Should be Looked
FC Barcelona went up against Borussia Dortmund on 9th April, at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium. This was the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals. Fermín gave an incredible assist to Lewandowski to make the score 3-0.
Nobody noticed but Fermín reached his fifth goal contribution in the Champions League this season. The last time a Barcelona midfielder had the same goal contribution number was Andrés Iniesta, this was done by Iniesta 10 years ago.
This stat deserves credit. Not Rakitic not Arthur, not Vidal, not Pedri, not Gavi, not Olmo, but this young Spaniard reached it before anyone. The main point is, that he is not in the starting eleven regularly, he brings change when he comes as a substitute as well.
I believe Fermin is one of the most underrated players in world football, his on field presence is second to none at this time. Whenever he gets the opportunity to play, he always delivers. He is a proper midfielder with an attacking intent whenever he gets the ball. If Fermin improves his finishing and decision making he could progress really well.
The National Hero
One of Fermin’s most underrated performances is his run in the 2024 Paris Olympics. In this tournament, the midfielder led his country to win the gold medal. Being a midfielder Fermin earned the top scorer award of the tournament, scoring six goals in six games. Fermin’s standout moment came in the final against host nation France, where Fermin scored two goals in the first half to give Spain a comfortable lead. Though the host came back in the game to level it, Spain clinched the title with the score ending 5-3. Fermin’s tireless work rate, clinical finishing, and clutch performances earned him the MVP. Fermin also set a new national Olympic scoring record, surpassing Spanish legend Kiko Narváez.
These performances are extremely important and define a player’s decisiveness. This season for Barcelona he was a crucial performer, whether he came off the bench or started, Fermin always performed. I believe if he gets regular playing time, he could be a great future asset for Barcelona. Fermin is a La Masia product who was sent away due to his underperforming, but he worked hard to play for Barcelona’s first team. The way he played this season indicated he can stay here for years. What do you guys think of Fermin? Can he be the future of Barca’s midfield?