BARCELONA kid Gavi, 17, has already gone down in the record books.
When Luis Enrique named him in his first eleven in the Nations League semi final against Italy, he became Spain’s youngest ever international.
“It was his first game with Spain, but we already knew all about him,” Luis Enrique said after the game.
“It’s not normal that he plays like that [at 17]. He’s a player with personality, enviable physical conditions and he plays our style of football. He plays like he’s at school or in his garden at home.
“It’s a pleasure to have a player with that quality and character with us. We can say that he’s the national team’s present, not [just] the future.”
And he deserved his bow for his country, after emerging on the scene at Camp Nou.
Barcelona may have been on the receiving end of Champions League thumpings at home to Bayern Munich and away against Benfica, but Gavi is getting a valuable lesson in game time.
The struggling LaLiga club have seen an opportunity to bleed a youngster that’s going to be integral to their success moving forward, as their fortunes suffer on the pitch.
In the 59th minute against Bayern, boss Ronald Koeman brought teen wonderkid Gavi, 17, on for stalwart Sergio Busquets.
15 minutes later, the attacking midfielder tried to burst through the Germans defence before he was expertly stopped by Dayot Upamecano. However, the potential was there to see and the crowd responded every time he touched the ball.
Perhaps he was lucky to stay on the field after consecutive fouls on Thomas Muller and Dayot Upamecano, but fans were already buoyed by what they had seen.
Gavi, who has been likened to Spain legend Xavi, is the future of Barça’s and Spain’s midfield.
ARRIVED FROM BETIS
Although he already appears to have the Barcelona style of play engrained in his DNA, he didn’t join La Masia until he was 11.
Originally from Los Palacios y Villafrance, some 18 miles outside of Seville, Gavi’s technical ability made him a standout.
He played for Real Betis, scoring 96 goals in youth football, and getting scouted by Villarreal, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
But in 2005, it was Barcelona who convinced the talent his future belonged at the Nou Camp.
“He is so technically gifted,” his former La Masia coach Franc Artiga told Goal.
“He is capable of changing a what he is about to do in tenths of a second, and improvising under any circumstance of the game.
“It is very difficult to find a player with these abilities, and with this speed of execution.”
Gavi rose through the ranks and skipped U18 football to go straight into the U19 team last term.
“Physically, this year he has evolved a lot,” Artiga said.
“He has made the change and is now a very strong player.
“This physique complements his technical quality and decision making. He now has the quality to protect the ball. His lower body helps him and has made him more competitive in the youth teams.”
‘HYPERCOMPETITIVE’
As was proven by his over-eagerness in the tackle against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, Gavi’s competitive nature can get the best of him in the pitch.
“He is hypercompetitive,” Artiga revealed.
“He is one of the most competitive players I know. That is something you have to stabilise.
“He has improved a lot in the control of his emotions. He is always on top of them, while keeping a winning mentality until the last minute. He still, though, has room for improvement in this.”
Last season, Gavi appeared for the Barcelona B team twice before he was promoted to the first team for this summer’s preseason friendlies.
It was against VfB Stuttgart in a 3-0 friendly win, where he earned comparisons to ex-Barcelona star Xavi.
So far, he has already appeared seven times for the Catalans in LaLiga.
But, they do want to ease him in gentle. After all, there is the belief he will be gracing the Nou Camp for years to come.
Artiga divulged: “He plays and executes on instinct. More experience will help him be able to read the game, and not act so much on instinct.
“We have to be patient, we have to let him reach certain objectives.
“If we do things well and have a good environment, we will have Gavi for many years.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
