How Barcelona Turned Jonatan Soriano into a Scoring Machine
What links Jonatan Soriano to Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar?
All four have a Barcelona connection and are projected to make the European Golden Shoe standings by season's end.
Soriano's unlikely success story at Red Bull Salzburg would not have been possible without him accepting a lifeline from Barcelona in his hour of need.
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After a three-game scoreless run for Red Bull Salzburg, Soriano gained back a fraction of his form with a goal against Astra Giurgiu in the UEFA Europa League.
Most centre-forwards aim for a goal every two games.
Not Soriano.
He started this Austrian Football Bundesliga season with nine goals in his first three games, including a five-goal haul against SV Grodig.
"Winning 8-0 in a derby is incredible in itself," Soriano said, per Red Bull Salzburg's official website. "Of course I am really pleased about my five goals, I never managed that before."
Soriano scored more goals in one game for Red Bull Salzburg than he did over 50 games for Espanyol (three).
It was a dramatic fall from grace.
People expected so much from him as one of the most exciting prospects of his generation.
Having scored seven goals at the 2002 UEFA Under-17 Championship—in the process outscoring Wayne Rooney—Soriano "made himself the target of a number of big European clubs," per UEFA's official website.
Three years later, he was linked with a transfer to Liverpool, per the Sunday People (h/t the Daily Mirror).
But by 2009, he was another Spanish youth international star, who had failed to transition to senior football.
Like David Rodriguez-Fraile and Sergio Santamaria, Soriano was expected to be forgotten and lost in the shuffle.
"My time at Espanyol came to an end, and no bids were coming," Soriano said, per El Periodico (h/t Kristan Heneage at Sky Sports). "I was in a very bad situation. I felt lonely, and thought of quitting football and getting another job."
Enter Luis Enrique.
"[Enrique] is a brave, young coach," then-youth director Jose Ramon Alexanco said, per Barcelona's official website. "We needed a great character to replace Pep Guardiola."
Enrique led Barcelona Atletic, since re-branded to Barcelona B, to promotion into the Segunda Division "11 seasons after they dropped out," per Jordi Clos at Barcelona's official website.
Instead of seeing Soriano as a fallen star, Enrique envisioned an ambitious project.
The characteristics were there to suggest Soriano could be a contributor: Excellent finisher, set-piece taker, can notch up headed goals and has experience as a Spanish youth international.
What was missing? Self-belief.
"I asked him [Enrique] to give me some freedom and he told me to do what I wanted, drop into central midfield or go out to the wings, as long as I was in the box when a cross came in," Soriano said, per David Redshaw at A Different League. "We hit the nail on the head."
Not only was it a bold decision from Enrique to back Soriano, who was damaged goods, but giving him attacking freedom after he averaged 0.06 goals per game at Espanyol, was a risky gamble that paid off.
Feeling comfortable in his skin, liberated and with the support of Enrique, Soriano scored 32 goals in 37 Segunda Division games, including two hat-tricks, during the 2010-11 season.
His 0.86 goals per game was an incredible 0.80 increase from his time at Espanyol.
It is a testament to Enrique's man management, his perception and how influential he is in motivating his players to maximise their ability.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was complimentary of Enrique when he became the new Barcelona first-team manager.
"He [Enrique] was the right-back, the left-back, the winger, the centre-forward, the No. 10, and if they'd needed him to be, the goalkeeper too," Mourinho said, per Marca. "He was one of my favourites from the time I was at Barcelona, not just as a player, but as a person as well."
While not a utility player like Enrique, Soriano is a team-orientated footballer, according to then-Red Bull Salzburg manager Roger Schmidt.
"[Soriano] was always a great footballer with an ability to score goals and play in a passing team," Schmidt said, per Jurgen Baumgartner at UEFA's official website. "He has also become a key defensive player in our system because our style only works when everyone gives their all."
The compact nature of Soriano's playing style shows how prominent Enrique is.
Red Bull Salzburg spending €500,000/£392,810 which can be doubled "in variables" on Soriano is a transfer steal.
The Austrian Football Bundesliga is Europe's 16th-best league, according to UEFA's coefficient rankings.
Soriano is happy dominating for a big team in a lesser league and has scored 71 goals in 81 league games.
He is to Red Bull Salzburg what Lionel Messi is to Barcelona. Soriano possesses the quality to reach the 50-goal barrier in all competitions this season.
His Rocky Balboa-like career turnaround should be attributed to Enrique and Barcelona.
"Soriano (Salzburg): "Barça and Luis Enrique are to 'blame' for the good things that are happening to me now. He got the best out of me."
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) September 23, 2013"
Statistics via WhoScored
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