Ansu Fati scored on his Barcelona return as it beat Levante 3-0 on Sunday.- The 18-year-old is the club's new number 10, having inherited the shirt from
Lionel Messi . - "It is an honour to wear number 10 after Messi," Fati said after the match.
Ansu Fati scored on his
Fati, 18, had spent 323 days sidelined with injury, but took just minutes to make his mark, scoring shortly after coming on as an 80th minute substitute.
His entrance at the Camp Nou was greeted with rapturous applause and a huge grin by the teenager, who was wearing the number 10 shirt for the first time since he inherited it from the departed Lionel Messi.
After thumping home a shot from outside the box past Levante goalkeeper Aitor Fernandez, the Spain international was lifted in the air by his teammates in a scene reminiscent of the famous moment when Brazil's Pele was hoisted onto the shoulders of his fellow players after winning the World Cup in 1970.
-FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) September 26, 2021
"I never expected a comeback like that" Fati said after the game. "I'm so happy. I want to thank the medical staff, the doctors, the physios, who have been there for me all the way. And all the fans, who have given me so much support.
"It is an honour to wear number 10 after Messi. I am so grateful to the club and captains for letting me wear it."
Fati's much-anticipated return comes as a huge boost to a Barcelona side which has struggled in the final third this season without Messi.
Prior to the win over Levante, Ronald Koeman's side had scored just eight goals in La Liga - the same total as Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
The Catalans started brightly on Sunday, however, with Memphis Depay scoring from the penalty spot in just the seventh minute after he was brought down in the box by Nemanja Radoja.
Compatriot Luuk de Jong doubled the home side's advantage with his first goal since joining on a season-long loan from Sevilla, before Gerard Pique missed a glorious chance to make it three.
Fati then completed the scoring in second-half injury time.
The victory pushed Barcelona into fifth place in the Spanish top flight, five points behind leader Real Madrid but with a game in hand.