Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is in no rush to push young midfielder Gavi back into the pitch as he continues to recover from illness.
Gavi has yet to fully recover, casting doubt on his availability for Barcelona’s crucial Champions League Round of 16 match.
The Catalan club will face Benfica in the first leg of the knockout stage on Wednesday. However, Flick has expressed uncertainty over whether the 20-year-old midfielder will be fit in time for the game.
Gavi played in Barcelona’s thrilling 5-4 victory over Benfica in the revamped Champions League group stage. But in recent days, he has been struggling with illness, forcing him to miss the team’s last two La Liga matches.
He was also absent from Barcelona’s training sessions in preparation for the Benfica clash, further raising concerns about his participation.
“We’ll have to see how he feels. He didn’t train yesterday because he wasn’t feeling well. He will visit the doctors again, and we’ll have to wait,” Flick said.
Since recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, Gavi has played 24 matches across all competitions for Barcelona, scoring twice and providing three assists.
Recognizing Gavi’s importance to the team, Flick is unwilling to take unnecessary risks with his fitness.
“Gavi isn’t just a No. 10; he can play in multiple positions and really helps us defensively… He’s excellent on the ball. Dani Olmo also enjoys playing in this role—he scores goals and creates chances.”
“Gavi is coming back from a serious injury, and with matches every three to four days, we need to be mindful and cautious.”
Barcelona will host the second leg of the Round of 16 next Tuesday. Before that, they face Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday.
