Barcelona veteran Sergio Busquets was full of compliments for his young teammate, Gavi, after the teenager’s impressive performance in the Supercopa de Espana Final.
The Spanish international put in a virtuoso performance to lead Barca to a 3-1 win over Real Madrid in Sunday’s final. Gavi opened the scoring in the showpiece game with a wonderfully composed finish.
Twelve minutes later, the midfielder turned provider as his cross put the ball on a plate for Robert Lewandowski. The striker duly tucked the ball home to give Barca a 2-0 lead at half-time in Riyadh.
In the second half, Gavi found fellow youngster Pedri, whose goal put the game beyond Real’s reach. Although Karim Benzema got a late consolation, the Catalan giants return from Saudi Arabia with the Super Cup.
Gavi’s fantastic display caught the attention of his midfield counterpart, Sergio Busquets.
“He is a competitive animal,” said Busquets of Gavi, via Mundo Deportivo. “At that age, the players are in the youth team or in the reserves. But he has played at an incredible level, scoring goals, and giving assists. I would tell him to keep learning and listening.
“Hopefully, he will mark an era at Barca.”
Whilst his captain delivered praise, Barcelona’s latest midfield prospect also received positive remarks from his manager.
Xavi sings praises of Gavi after sensational Supercopa de Espana victory
During the aftermath of the Catalan Giant’s El Clasico win in the Supercopa de Espana, manager Xavi addressed reporters about Gavi.
“He is a boy that thrills us all when we see him playing like this,” said the Spaniard, via Goal.com. “Gavi puts his soul, heart, and character on the pitch and transmits it to the rest of the team – and he is just 18.”
Xavi then applauded the 2022 Kopa Trophy winner’s natural ability as a leader.
“He was gifted with leadership skills,” added the Barca coach. “He projects that courage and that rage when he plays football. It is something special to see. I already said this many times, but I never get tired of praising him. Hopefully, he will never stop like this because he has no limits.”
Despite their tender ages, Xavi has relied on Gavi and Pedri regularly in Barca’s midfield this season. Currently, the Blaugrana fans are celebrating a complete reversal of last year’s disastrous campaign. Barcelona are top of La Liga, holding a three-point advantage over Real Madrid.
They are also still in the Copa del Rey and Europa League. Therefore, Xavi will hope that his generational midfield talents can lead Barca to more silverware before the season’s end.
Owen Hargreaves believes Barcelona are returning to the top
For some, this first trophy under Xavi is a sign of an upward trajectory. Speaking on BT Sport after the Supercopa Final, former Man United and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves believed that Barca are “back”.
“He is such an exciting young coach,” said Hargreaves of Xavi. “And they play in the Barcelona way. With the coach and the players… Obviously, I hope they can sort the money situation out. But that performance would have shocked a lot of people because it was top-class.
“And I think when you add in Lewandowski, who makes a difference at the top of the pitch – Barcelona look like they’re back.”
Thanks to Xavi’s guidance, the Catalan giants certainly look back on the right path. Their fans will hope that they can see continued improvement and further trophies in the coming months.
Featured image credit: Getty
