There’s no doubting that the current Barcelona squad have some great young players within it, and success is almost a given.
The Champions League remains out of reach at the moment, but if the team keep progressing and adds one or two new faces, there’s no reason why they can’t be Kings of Europe once more.
Of course, it’s going to take guts, dedication, desire and hard work to get there… all qualities that Gavi embodies.
The roar that greeted his return after another long injury lay-off said much about
the way in which the 21-year-old is supported by culers.
A La Masia graduate, albeit one who came to the club via the Real Betis academy, Barca fans treat him as one of their own. It’s as if they see something of themselves in him.
A never-say-die attitude and a ferocious will to win are part of the character traits that allow him to play the game right on the very edge at times.
Given how much time he’s spent on the sidelines in the past couple of years, it’s remarkable that he’s come back as good as new and is still not shirking a tackle.
He’d be forgiven for being a little reticent, but such a way of working clearly isn’t in his make-up.
Against Atletico Madrid, he proved once again that he can be a great foil for Pedri, and perhaps the 4-2-3-1 formation favoured by Hansi Flick on the night is the way forward if Gavi is to be handed a regular start.
The German coach is blessed with a plethora of superb midfielders, each with their own attributes, and trying to manage game time for the likes of Pedri, Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, Marc Casado and Dani Olmo, has to be one of his biggest headaches.
With Gavi now thrown into that mix, it complicates the issue further.
However, after such a stunning post-injury comeback, the player would feel rightly aggrieved to be relegated back to a bit-part player, coming off the bench later in games.
There’s no reason whatsoever for Flick to take Gavi back out of the starting line-up unless there is mutual recognition that he needs a rest or other concerns related to his fitness.
With the World Cup just around the corner, too, it’s fairly clear that the player will want to give himself the best opportunity of ensuring a place in the La Roja squad.
Ultimately, any decision rests with Flick, but he’d be a brave man to restrict Gavi’s game time now – and Barca would be worse off if he does.
