Barcelona Manager Flick Reveals Emotional Gavi Revelation Following Impressive 7-1 Victory Over Valencia
Barcelona Manager Flick Reveals Emotional Gavi Revelation Following Impressive 7-1 Victory Over Valencia
In an informal chat after FC Barcelona's thrilling 7-1 La Liga victory over Valencia, head coach Hansi Flick shared a heartwarming story about Gavi's selfless behavior towards a teammate. Despite being benched in favor of close friend Fermin Lopez, Gavi showed incredible team spirit by suggesting Pablo Torre be introduced instead of himself in the final 15 minutes.
The Catalans' impressive performance helped them maintain third place and narrow Real Madrid's lead to a seven-point gap. Flick rotated a substantial group of players, with at least five changes to the starting lineup, emphasizing the depth within the squad.
Flick praised Gavi's passion and sportsmanship, stating, "You can see how players are connected to each other. It's fantastic and for a coach, it's amazing. I love Gavi for his attitude, and speaking that way at that moment is fantastic."
The versatile Fermin, playing in Gavi or Dani Olmo's position, delivered a standout performance, scoring two goals and providing two assists. Flick expressed his admiration for Fermin's abilities, stating, "I love Fermin. He was very good with the ball and very good in finishing."
Barca's prolific form this season, scoring 100 goals, is commendable, yet Flick maintains a focused mindset. "Our goal is to win titles, not to set goal records," he noted.
With a 5-4 comeback win against Benfica in the Champions League, Wojciech Szczesny has emerged as a fortunate charm for Flick, despite a pair of questionable incidents in the first half. Flick commented on the goalkeeper selection dilemma: "A week with Szczesny in the starting line-up, two wins. One against Benfica and another against Valencia. It's a difficult situation for Inaki Pena, but it's something that has been discussed internally."
References:[1] Goal.com, "Gavi makes classy gesture to Pablo Torre after Barca's big win," accessed February 22, 2023[2] SPORT, "Gavi makes kind touch to Pablo Torre after game," accessed February 22, 2023[3] Marca, "FC Barcelona: Hansi Flick impressed by Gavi's selflessness during Valencia win," accessed February 22, 2023.
Gavi's benched teammate was Fermin Lopez, as the young Spanish midfielder suggested substituting Pablo Torre instead of himself in the latter stages of the match. In Valencia's lineup, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez often occupied similar positions, with Olmo contributing to the team as well. Gavi and Pedri are close friends and teammates at Barcelona, demonstrating strong camaraderie within the squad. Hansi Flick has been coaching Real Madrid, although his praise for Gavi's attitude and behavior was during the aforementioned match against Valencia.