Patrick Kluivert Says Ansu Fati May Need to Drop Down to Barcelona B Team

Ansu Fati may have to drop down to the Barcelona B side in order to get regular game time, according to Blaugrana academy director Patrick Kluivert.  

Fati, 17, made a stunning impact early in the 2019-20 season when he was promoted to the first team amid injuries to Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez.

He set numerous records as he scored in back-to-back La Liga games against Osasuna and Valencia, and he also made his UEFA Champions League debut against Borussia Dortmund:

However, as Barca's senior players have returned to fitness, Fati's opportunities have become more limited.

The Spain youth international has played eight La Liga games this term but only started three of them. 

Kluivert has now said dropping down to the B side could benefit the young winger, per Sport: 

"It's being overseen more by [sporting director Eric] Abidal and [his assistant Ramon] Planes. We're communicating well with each other. If all the first-team players are at 100 per cent, I have the feeling that he will have to play for Barça B to get some minutes in his legs. We saw that with Carles Perez at the weekend, too."

Barca are back in La Liga action on Saturday against Leganes before a crunch fixture versus Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on December 1.

Before the international break, Messi netted a hat-trick as Barca beat Celta Vigo 4-1 to return to winning ways following a shock loss at Levante.

That victory meant the defending champions maintained their position at the top of La Liga:

Given how congested things are at the head of the Spanish top flight, Barca must keep winning to maintain their position.

Ernesto Valverde's side lost 2-1 on their visit to Leganes last season, but they have won the other five fixtures they have played against the Madrid outfit since the start of 2016-17.