If Lucas Torreira was suffering a bout of ‘FOMO’ – his old Arsenal team-mates storming towards their first Premier League title since the legendary Invincibles era – then at least the Uruguayan international can take some consolation in achieving a medal of his own.
Galatasaray are not just winning games. They are winning them in style. 13 in a row, by an aggregate score of 41-8.
The gap between themselves and Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce is not unsurmountable; just six points. But it’s hard to imagine anything standing in Galatasaray’s way as Okan Buruk’s all-conquering side steamroller all before them.
Torreira, one of a number of high-profile summer signings alongside Dries Mertens, Sergio Oliveira, Leo Dubois and Juan Mata, has certainly played his part in Buruk’s revolution; Galatasaray bouncing back from one of their worst-ever domestic seasons to produce one of their very best.
Former Arsenal ace Lucas Torreira shining at Galatasaray
The former Atletico Madrid loanee, Sporx say, is already ‘loved’ by the Galatasaray supporters due to his combative nature and win-at-all-costs mentality. Only right-back Sacha Boey averages more than his 2.6 successful tackles per game (WhoScored); Torreira playing some of his best football since those early days at Arsenal, when some were tipping him to fill a Gilberto Silva-shaped void long before Thomas Partey arrived to do just that.
“There was an octopus on the pitch in Lucas Torreira. The Uruguayan ran all over the field,” Sabah reporter Levent Tuzemen wrote after one particularly industrious display.
“He used his body perfectly between the ball and the opponent. He did not lose position, did not cause any errors.”
Amid reports linking Torreira with a move to Serie A champions AC Milan (TuttoSport), reports have suggested that his market value has risen from £5 million last year to £20 million now. Whether Galatasaray are willing to cash in so soon remains to be seen. But, if the league leaders do, there will be a rather sizeable profit coming their way.
‘No one can stop us’, Torreira wrote confidently on social media following a 4-0 thrashing of Gazientep recently.
On current evidence, he may have a point.
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