Gavi’s Discipline And Attitude Problems At FC Barcelona And La Masia

FC Barcelona have been trying to “straighten out” their breakout star Gavi, who has an attitude problem and suffers from a lack of discipline, “for a while” according to reports.

The 17-year-old sensation comes home on Saturday evening when taking on Real Betis in La Liga.

Joining the Copa del Rey winners as a second year pre-Benjamin – or in the U8s – from La Liara Balompie, the midfielder was eventually spotted by Barca and left Seville to live in their La Masia academy as an 11-year-old.

Recent reports, plus statements by Gavi, indicate that despite already being a fully-fledged first team player on at least €100,000 ($105,000) a year, the youngster still lives at the club’s accommodation there.

But worrying claims made by La Porteria before the weekend say that Gavi doesn’t “behave like he should” and has even broken furniture on-site as a lark.

“Besides [this], he’s not very polite with the staff at La Masia,” Paula Muriel claimed on the show, adding that Barca have been “trying to straighten him out for a while” but as his profile continues to rise, Gavi is “allowed more things” in terms of how he is treated and what he gets away with.

To the same outlet, though, sources inside the club have insisted that Gavi’s attitude is “exemplary” and deny that he has ever had any issues with indiscipline.

Elsewhere, some fans have been quick to point out how it seems off that the likes of Riqui Puig have not been trusted by past coaches including Ernesto Valverde and Ronald Koeman for their own poor attitudes, yet the Dutchman took a punt on a supposedly unruly Gavi last summer and elevated him to the first team where he has stayed ever since under current no-nonsense coach Xavi Hernandez.

Barca have also been more than willing to cut ties with other wayward young promises such as Ilaix Moriba last year and let them walk for free. Yet at the same time, they are now solely focused on tying down Gavi, who they see as a cornerstone of the club’s sporting project for the foreseeable future in the same vein as Pedri and Ansu Fati, to a new long-term contract.

Were Gavi so out of control, surely this wouldn’t be the case and he would join Moriba on the scrapheap in 2023 when he becomes a free agent.