Although Barcelona succumbed to an energetic Villarreal side on Sunday evening, it wasn’t for the want of trying.
In Fermin Lopez’s case, he could scarcely have done much more to ensure that the points remained in Catalonia, such was the manner of his individual performance.
For all of the plaudits going to the likes of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, to name two players, the XI will always need a workhorse like Fermin to get stuck in and move attacks forward with purpose.
Cut from the same cloth as Gavi, the 22-year-old supplements his penchant for the grittier side of the game with a real eye for goal, and he could’ve scored at least one other before eventually getting his name on the score sheet.