Ever since his promotion to the first team of FC Barcelona, Pablo Gavi has become an integral part of the squad for Xavi Hernandez.
The youngster made his first team debut in August 2021 under Ronald Koeman and kept his position in the team even after the Dutchman’s departure.
His importance in the team increased even further with Xavi’s arrival, and as is usually the case, Gavi’s importance is being felt even more keenly since he has been sidelined with an ACL tear earlier this season.
The injury Gavi suffered in November while on international duty not only tore his ACL but also caused his meniscus to be sutured. Owing to the seriousness of his injury, the important thing for Gavi is to heal completely, irrespective of the time that he needs for recovery.
However, Barcelona are missing the midfielder keenly, and as Mundo Deportivo has noted, Xavi expressed this sentiment in his last press conference prior to the match against Unionistas de Salamanca, as he stated: “The absence of Gavi is a stab in the heart.”
Further commenting on what the team misses in Gavi’s absence, Xavi said:
“We miss Gavi’s leadership, his heart, so if he’s not there, it’s a stab in the heart. Gavi is the soul of the team.”
There is no doubt that the young Spaniard brings so much to the team, despite being only 19 years of age. Thus, Xavi was clear that replacing him in the squad is almost impossible, but the team will have to keep moving forward:
“Replacing Gavi is difficult; there’s only one Gavi in the world. We miss him, that’s a fact, but we have to rely on the team as a whole.”
This last aspect cannot be emphasised enough, as Xavi’s men have been making a lot of mistakes, especially in defence:
“Defensively, in the defensive line, we are making too many mistakes. That’s what worries me the most, the defensive aspect, and we need to improve it because we are giving away too many opportunities.”
Gavi’s presence could have significantly helped improve Barcelona’s defence, as he is one of the hardest workers in the team off the ball. However, in his absence, the team will have to step up, and ensure defensive stability if they want to end the season with some silverware.
