Barcelona midfielder Gavi has opened up on Barcelona’s La Liga triumph, his growing role inside the dressing room, and his relationship with Hansi Flick in a revealing interview with Mundo Deportivo.
After spending months battling through recovery setbacks, the Barcelona midfielder admitted the process tested him mentally and physically.
Despite the difficult road back, Gavi now feels stronger after helping Barça finish the season on a high.
“I’m really happy. The season has been really tough because of the injury, but I’m back now and the recovery was a real struggle.”
The young midfielder also admitted he did not expect to become so influential again this quickly after returning to action. He credited Flick for giving him confidence immediately after his comeback.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect it because the manager has really put his faith in me since I came back.”
Title celebration
Barcelona’s La Liga title celebrations clearly meant a lot to the midfielder, especially because the decisive victory came against Real Madrid at Camp Nou.
Reflecting on that night, Gavi admitted, “To be honest, I wanted Real Madrid to beat Espanyol so that we could beat them at our ground in front of our fans.
“And that’s exactly what happened. Much better for me.”
The midfielder also praised the close relationship shared by many players inside the Barcelona dressing room, particularly those who came through La Masia together.
“At the end of the day, as you say, we’re home-grown, from La Masia. Not everyone can say that, and it’s something to be proud of.”
He also responded strongly to criticism surrounding Barcelona’s league triumph, especially from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, and the constant debate around referees and decisions.
Speaking about reactions from Madrid, the Barça midfielder stated,
“Everyone knows that people in Madrid will always try to belittle or take away the credit from our victories or our titles.”
UCL growth expected
The Spaniard spoke openly about Barcelona’s Champions League struggles and admitted that the team’s youth still plays a role in those difficult moments.
“In the Champions League, it’s also down to small details, and obviously experience helps a lot too. We’re also a very young team.”
The midfielder then added, “I, for example, am 21, but I’ve already won two La Liga titles.
“But obviously I still have things to improve on the pitch, and my teammates are in the same boat, because they’re all very young.
“So we’ll keep improving, and I’m sure it’ll come.”
Relationship with Flick
One of the strongest parts of the interview came when Gavi discussed his relationship with Flick.
The Barcelona midfielder made it clear that the German coach played a massive role during his recovery process. “He’s always had faith in me. He’s trusted me completely.”
He then added, “I’ve always said he’s like a father to me because he’s always there to help me, both in the good times and the bad.”
The midfielder also spoke about his mentality within the dressing room and why competitiveness matters so much to him.
Discussing his character, Gavi explained, “I’m always very competitive on the pitch.
“My teammates see that too, and that competitiveness rubs off on them.”
Furthermore, when asked about future signings at Barcelona, the Spaniard also delivered a very direct message about the type of personalities he wants at the club.
“The most important thing is that they’re there for the team. They shouldn’t come in acting like little stars or thinking they’re better than everyone else, because that doesn’t help.”
On Lewandowski and Cancelo
Finally, the Barcelona midfielder also opened up on his close relationship with Robert Lewandowski and Joao Cancelo.
Speaking about Lewandowski, Gavi joked, “Robert was there in Germany, and he hadn’t been given a hug in the six seasons he’d been there.
“I’m a very affectionate bloke, and I’m always giving people hugs and kisses. That’s just the way I am. So Robert was probably surprised when he saw me give him a hug.”
He also had warm words for Cancelo, saying, “Joao is a great friend of mine too.
“He’s one of my best mates here in the dressing room and I’m really happy for him because I know he’s a huge Barça fan and I know that when he was in Saudi Arabia, all he wanted was to come back to Barça.”
