Barcelona's Spanish coach Xavi looks on during the Spanish Super Cup final football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, on January 14, 2024.

Xavi puts his faith in 22-year-old subsidiary gem for Barcelona vs Granada

Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

FC Barcelona are set to take on Granada in a couple of hours in La Liga. The team from Andalusia is going to be welcomed at the Montjuic Stadium as the latest Blaugrana challengers. For both Barcelona and Granada, the three points could be crucial for different reasons.

Ahead of the game, within the Barcelona squad list already released, there are some pleasant surprises. Barcelona captain and number one in goal, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, is finally back in the squad and looks ready to start. Moreover, Brazilian winger Raphinha has also received the medical green light.

However, in light of the great number of forwards still missing, more firepower was needed. Ferran Torres, Joao Felix, and Vitor Roque are all unavailable due to either injury reasons or specific suspensions. In their stead, a rather competent subsidiary starlet has been called to Barça’s aid.

As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, 22-year-old forward Pau Victor is the chosen one to be named in the final squad list. The subsidiary gem, one of the most prominent ones from the team led by Rafa Marquez, has been given the trust and faith of Xavi Hernandez to potentially come to Barça’s aid at any given point of the game.

Victor, on loan from fellow La Liga side Girona, is a player of great quality and talent. He has already received several first-team call-ups this season but has thus far been unable to have official minutes under the guidance and tutelage of Xavi Hernandez. However, that still should not hide the fact that he remains the top scorer for Barcelona Atletic this season.

In 20 appearances, the lethal forward has scored 12 goals for the team led by Rafa Marquez. These numbers are understandably impressive, and it comes as no surprise that they have convinced Xavi enough to select him as the one additional forward he wants to add into the first-team squad for the clash against Granada.

However, if he does end up featuring and debuting for Barcelona in this game, it would further highlight an impressive statistic under Xavi Hernandez. He would become the seventeenth subsidiary player this season to feature for the Barcelona first team under the former Barça legend and midfielder.

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