Pablo Gavi has grown to become a highly important player for FC Barcelona in the last two seasons. His significance in the Barcelona squad has increased to such an extent that he is already one of the first names on the team sheet despite being still only nineteen years old.
With his passion and commitment to the club, which he puts on display in each and every match that he plays, he has become one of the most beloved players in the squad. However, while he is a superstar as an athlete, Gavi as a person is still relatively unknown as he rarely appears in the media.
Gavi talks about his idols, Xavi’s impact
This trend was broken by him recently when he gave a long interview to La Vanguardia, which Mundo Deportivo has reported. In this interview, Gavi talked about his feelings on different matters related to the club.
The youngster shared that he became a Barcelona fan by seeing the legendary Pep Guardiola team in action:
“From watching the best team in history, Barça with Xavi, Iniesta, and company. Since then, I’ve been a Barça fan and always will be.”
Gavi then went on to share his idols in the footballing world and his best position on the pitch:
“Especially Iniesta, but also Isco and Verratti. I have always been one, a left midfielder. Xavi already knows where I feel most comfortable, but he always trusts me a lot, and in every match, he decides where I play, and I try to do it well for the coach, and give my all.”
Gavi also mentioned how Xavi has mentored him during his time at the club and his propensity to get into fights on the pitch:
“Xavi tries to help me improve, he talks to me a lot. We always review the matches. Sometimes I watch and think, ‘Wow, how did I come up with that?’ But my mother suffers more than I do; she always tells me not to get into fights and gets very scared. But in the end, it’s just football.”
“I have a lot of confidence in myself, that’s what matters to me. Xavi insists on talking, on improving me, and I appreciate that. The coach has been one of the best players in history in my position.”
Role in the dressing room, winning trophies
While Gavi’s temperament and passion for Barcelona have endeared him to Cules, other clubs do find these qualities too amusing. There was a campaign in Madrid last season to portray Gavi as an excessively tough footballer, and Gavi addressed this issue in the interview:
“I consider myself a fighter, until the end, and I will never lose that. I was aware [of the campaign], but I was calm. Xavi helped me, and I didn’t care about what certain people said.”
While he is still only nineteen years old, Gavi is already becoming a reference for his teammates and is ready to support them whenever they need it:
I wouldn’t have imagined it when I was little, but yes. I try to reassure them, and give them encouragement. I had Busi, Jordi [Alba]… I know it’s very important to feel that support.”
Gavi highlighted three players with whom he enjoys playing and is delighted with overall:
“I admire Frenkie. When it was said that he could leave, I was terrified and told him. Thank goodness he didn’t leave and is still with us.”
“Both of them [ Felix and Cancelo ] are very good, and they adapted quickly. João Félix is on my side, and I can associate more with him, but I look for both of them. Without them, we couldn’t have pulled off some matches this season.”
Lastly, Gavi also highlighted the importance of winning titles with the team:
“We have to go as far as possible; we are Barça, as the coach says. Winning it with Barça is one of my dreams, if not the first, it’s what all Culés dream of.”
