The Secrets Behind Gavi’s Success At FC Barcelona

Last season it was Pedri, this campaign it is one Pablo Martin Paez Gaviria – or Gavi as you perhaps know him better.

Receiving full backing from his coaches at club and country level, the 17-year-old who runs with tongue in cheek and his laces untied is undoubtedly Europe’s breakout star in the current campaign while making an unheard of 33 appearances in Blaugrana for FC Barcelona and four in the red of the Spanish national team.

With former Barca, Lazio and Espanyol legend Ivan de la Pena as his agent, however, the Seville native has been staying grounded ever since his debut with the Catalans’ first team handed to him by Ronald Koeman against Getafe on August 29.

Either as an interior, winger, false ‘9’ or false winger, Gavi has stood out in every position he has played in. But despite his obvious technical and tactical nous, it his is gnarly physicality and aggressiveness despite his 1.72m and 68 kilo frame that has endeared him to the Barca faithful.

Often bumping into men sometimes double his age, Gavi is picking up a yellow card every three games and 30 minutes with 10 of them so far and a red card dismissal. Yet already missing matches due to his disciplinary record has only made Culers more fond of him for the dedication he shows in one of the club’s most difficult periods both one and off the field.

As for his coach, Xavi, he appreciates how Gavi is able to snatch the ball away from opponents with the teenager leading his team with 10 recoveries in total in the recent 4-0 home win over Osasuna at the weekend.

With the ball himself, however, the figure who arrived at the club as an 11-year-old in 2015 is never wasteful. On Sunday, for example, he touched it 76 times and gave it away or lost it twice which was joint-least with captain Sergio Busquets and only bettered by Pedri who ceded it once.

Thought of as very responsible in possession, and reliable in passing and in control, Gavi plays a mature brand of football wise beyond his years which is verticle and always headed towards the opposition’s goal.

Speaking of which, while there have been a mere two of those personally including a Lionel Messi-esque slalom dribble in a 3-2 win over Elche last year, Gavi’s part in Barca’s other strikes can often go unnoticed.

Creating spaces for others and knowing when to run and stop, Gavi has been commended for his understanding of the game by Xavi and his awareness of when something is missing to complete a move in what is now a high-scoring outfit which seems to net four goals per game as of late.

The sky is the limit for Gavi. Coaches in Barca’s youth category teams while he was coming through the La Masia academy knew he was tipped for big things but it was surprising how soon his break came.

And as his first season in the elite draws to a close, 2022 is set to improve even further for him with a new bumper contract and his first World Cup with Spain in Qatar in November.