Gavi’s Barcelona comeback faces fresh test as midfield competition intensifies

Gavi’s return to full fitness has not yet brought a return to prominence at Barcelona, with the midfielder having played only 191 minutes in all competitions this season.

The Spain international was expected to make this campaign the decisive stage of his recovery after a knee injury kept him out for several months. A subsequent setback delayed his comeback, but he appeared to have a full season ahead of him to regain his form, consistency and leadership role.

Instead, Gavi’s importance to the team has diminished sharply. While his injuries explain part of his absence, they no longer fully account for his limited involvement now that he is physically ready to compete.

A report in Marca on Wednesday, headlined “Gavi’s enigma”, highlighted the stark contrast between the player before his injuries and the midfielder seen since his return.

“That energetic player, capable of pressing high, motivating his team-mates and fighting for every ball as if it were the last, was much more than a substitute,” the report said.

“His character and his ability to raise the team’s intensity made him an important player for both Barcelona and the Spain national team. Now, however, he appears to have slipped into a secondary role from which he is struggling to escape.”

Barcelona’s meeting with Real Madrid in El Clasico provided a particularly clear illustration of Gavi’s current position. Despite the importance and intensity of the fixture, he did not play a single minute.

“In a match of the highest level, and with everything a meeting with Real Madrid represents, Gavi did not play at all,” Marca added. “That decision clearly reflects his current situation and raises questions about his real standing within the team.”

The report acknowledged that gradually reintegrating a player after such a serious injury was straightforward enough, but said it was much more difficult for his presence to remain almost non-existent after he had recovered.

Gavi’s prospects are further complicated by fierce competition in midfield. Pedri and Rodri appear to be the leading candidates for the holding-midfield position, while Frenkie de Jong’s return has given the manager more options and increased the competition for places.

“Gavi will have to fight for playing time, something that appears difficult to secure in the current circumstances,” Marca said. “Time is passing, and he needs sufficient minutes to regain his rhythm, confidence and the status he previously enjoyed.”

The central issue is no longer whether Gavi can replicate his former level, according to the report, but whether he will be given enough opportunities to demonstrate that he can.

“Recovering his fitness was the first step,” it said. “Restoring his place at Barcelona could become the real challenge.”

Gavi could be handed minutes against Alaves as part of player rotation, but Marca questioned whether he would receive further opportunities in the matches against Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid.