Talented Los Palacios midfielder Gavi has made a remarkable comeback from a serious knee injury, once again becoming a key player for Flick’s side.
After almost a year of absence from the field due to his injury, Gavi has integrated himself with ease into Hansi Flick’s plans. The Seville native started three consecutive matches, a feat he had not achieved since November 2023, just before his slump with the Spanish selection.
His performances swept away any doubts about his fitness and talent after what many consider one of the most difficult injuries for a footballer to overcome.
Gavi’s gradual return to the starting XI began on October 20, when he made his return against Sevilla, but it was truly on November 23 that he regained a place in the starting XI, playing 77 minutes during of a draw against Celta. Previously, his maximum playing time was limited to 30 minutes in a match against Red Star in the Champions League. However, he quickly found his cruising speed, now making six starts and having a significant impact on FC Barcelona’s latest performances: he provided an assist against Atlético, scored a goal and offered an assist against Athletic , and scored a goal against Betis – all in less than a month.
Read more:
Alexia Saves Barça From Last Minute Draw
Nothing seems to slow down Gavi, who is making more passes than ever. His scoring average has increased compared to previous seasons, although he still needs to accumulate more minutes for an accurate comparison. Nevertheless, his performance is impressive: with less than half the playing time he had last season before his injury, he has already matched his goal total from this campaign and surpassed his number of assists, totaling two goals and two assists. At this rate, he is on track to break his own 2022-23 season records.
-
Read more:
Lionel Messi performance against Liga MX clubs
Additionally, Gavi seems impervious to the physical challenges on the pitch. Since his return to La Liga, he ranks among the top seven midfielders in duels contested, averaging 20.91 per 90 minutes, and eighth in duels won, with more than eight in his favor. He is also the player who commits the most fouls per 90 minutes among midfielders, with an average of 3.64, far ahead of Brais Méndez who does not exceed 2.34. Furthermore, he is second in ball recovery in the final third, behind only Jude Bellingham.
So, has a serious injury impacted Gavi’s physical abilities? Not for the young Sevillian. He is currently the player covering the most kilometers per 90 minutes in La Liga, with an average of 12.46 kilometers. Gavi also runs at high intensity, ranking third in the national championship for kilometers covered between 15 and 20 km/h, with 2.27 kilometers. Additionally, he is second in high-intensity actions (between 20 and 25 km/h) per match, with an average of 59.26.
It is clear that Gavi has regained all its exuberance, as evidenced by its statistics. Flick must be delighted to have his international player back, bringing energy, ball control and attacking presence to a FC Barcelona eager to regain the lead in the championship after dominating the start of the season.
