Spain Under-21 boss David Gordo has been full of praise for Xavi Espart after calling the Barcelona star into his squad for the next international break.
Espart’s emergence has been one of the highlights of the season so far for Barcelona, with the youngster impressing at left-back for Hansi Flick’s side and scoring his first senior goal.
Gordo says he’s been really impressed by Espart and has also compared him to one of his Barcelona team-mates.
“I like seeing teams betting on him. Of course, I’m amazed
when I see Under-21 players performing at that level. Xavi is a former Under-19 champion,” he told reporters.
“His best quality is his excellent understanding of the game, space, and timing. And he can do it from any position. He’s decisive as a central midfielder and as a full-back. He’s very intelligent.
“He’s always one step ahead. In some ways, he reminds me of Pedri because of his understanding of the game. It seems like time moves differently for him.”
Spain’s Under-21s are due to play Finland, San Marino and Romania over the next few weeks in Euro qualifying.
