According to a report by Sport on July 29, Barcelona has received a significant boost recently: Midfielder Gavi, who suffered a serious knee injury while playing for the Spanish national team in November last year, is recovering well and could return to the pitch earlier than expected.
Gavi was injured during Spain’s match against Georgia on November 19, 2023. In the first half of the game, Gavi twisted his knee in a non-intensive challenge and was substituted shortly afterward. Post-match, the standout product of Barcelona’s youth academy was diagnosed with a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, along with damage to the collateral ligament, and was expected to be sidelined for an entire year.
Luckily, all that is now in the past. Gavi started his arduous recovery process immediately after the injury. After solo training sessions in the gym or on the beach, Gavi began individual ball work in recent weeks. While everyone within the club wants to proceed cautiously to avoid putting too much pressure on the player, the energy and good feelings he displays during training have instilled confidence in those around him regarding his comeback.
New Barcelona head coach Flick acknowledged last Thursday at a press conference that Gavi has been impressive in training. The German coach realizes that as Gavi recovers, the team’s midfield strength will be enhanced, and he will have more options when selecting the starting lineup, as Gavi can play in midfield, as a second striker, or as one of two holding midfielders.
Neither the head coach nor the fans are expecting Gavi to return for the league opener on August 17, but as a key “signing” for Barcelona’s 2024/25 season, it is entirely possible that Gavi could come back earlier than the originally planned date in November this year.