The Ansu Fati plan that looks at Qatar: Luis Enrique's talks (and pampering), video sessions on tactics and 607 days of silence

• Luis Enrique The memory of Arnau, the humiliation in La Rosaleda and the touch to Gavi

• The Sarabia 'formula' Education, perseverance and humility: "The mental aspect is 70% of a footballer"

• League of Nations This is the group of Spain

It was already hot yesterday morning when, somewhat delayed due to an anti-doping control, the team took to the pitch at La Rosaleda to complete the last training session of this express concentration.

Perhaps tonight (8:45 p.m.), if the duel against the Czech Republic is calm, Ansu Fati (Bissau, 2002) will have his first minutes in this mini-tour of the League of Nations.

It would be his first time in 607 days, which are those that have elapsed since his last night at the kyiv Olympic.

It was October 13, 2020. A month later, after astonishing in Valdebebas, also against Ukraine, and becoming the youngest scorer in the history of the national team (17 years and 311 days), darkness enveloped his future.

A tear in the internal meniscus of his left knee would lead to four visits to the operating room and his resounding refusal to a fifth.

Hence that mental battle that is difficult to take for granted.

Therefore, despite his lack of rhythm and minutes,

claimed him three weeks ago.

"I have no doubt that Ansu will return to his level. He is a unique player in his relationship with the goal. He, in addition, comes from a very difficult year, overcome, yes, but you have to be with the necessary rhythms that I consider for the player", maintained yesterday the selector.

"He is a guy who works a lot and is very humble. This is going to make him much stronger," added his teammate and captain at Barcelona,

.

During these 14 days of concentration, the coach has measured every detail with Ansu Fati to the millimeter.

Emotional care, above all, but also physical and tactical care.

Because the idea is that the striker is the flag of Spain in that World Cup in Qatar that is already looming on the horizon.

In Geneva, for example, Luis Enrique stayed for about 20 minutes rehearsing shots on goal and finishing plays with him.

In almost all the training sessions he has dedicated the odd minute to chat with Ansu.

Last week, in Prague, where he didn't even get to sit on the bench, he worked out before the match with a physical trainer in a park near the hotel.

These days there has been no lack of video sessions or tactical sips, especially without the ball, to soak up those details that the team will demand of him when he reaches his fullness.

When that month of November arrives (the start of the World Cup in Qatar) that he saw so far away during a recovery process turned for months into a labyrinth with no way out.

They say that he panicked in the operating rooms and, also, that in Madrid, together with the physio Joaquín Juan (he also helped

), he recovered his smile.

Those days of February, in the company of

, he opted for a conservative treatment with stem cells to treat his muscle injury.

Mendes' baton

The tears, uncontrollable, were companions of fatigue.

"He did not have a normal emotional recovery. He cried a lot and that accused him," remember those who lived closely on that bumpy road.

That is why Luis Enrique, who has a direct relationship with

, the Barcelona coach, has insisted on this mental aspect above any other.

In a plan to find that

that he imagines being his beacon in the Qatar desert.

They are

,

and

, with whom he has a close bond in the Barça dressing room, with whom he spends most of his time in the national team.

Ansu Fati, during training in Prague. PABLO GARCÍARFEF

A normal boy who orbits in that enigmatic universe of

under the mantle of his father (Bori) and one of his four brothers (Braima).

's '10'

, which he took note of when he took off, and renewed last fall with a clause of 1,000 million euros.

There he awaits Xavi.

If Barcelona were unable to sign a striker this summer, Ansu would play that role, even if he prefers to play on the left.

One more point of responsibility, since his coach is aware that he has plenty of potential to assume it.

From his room at the Vincci Posada del Patio hotel, yesterday he fantasized about those minutes against the Czech Republic.

The first in almost two years.

And Ansu usually breaks his silences loudly.

Luis Enrique would like nothing more.

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