‘They have no idea’… Barcelona midfield star responds to critics and defends his playing style in recent interview | OneFootball

The midfield has been one of the most competitive areas of the FC Barcelona team in this past season. The attacking midfielder spot was particularly difficult to nail down as Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, and Pablo Torre all vied for minutes in this position.

One of these players, Gavi, started his season later than his competitors as he was still recovering from his ACL tear when the season started, and returned to the pitch only in October. Still, despite the injury and the competition, the youngster was able to play a significant number of minutes with his team.

The midfielder appeared in an interview with Mundo Deportivo recently and talked about several aspects of his career and life at Barcelona.

Talking about his ACL injury, Gavi revealed how difficult it was for him and thanked the people close to him for their support in this difficult time:

“Not every day was a good one. There were days when my knee didn’t feel the same. It’s been a struggle, but when you achieve your goal — getting back to playing football, which is what makes me happy — it’s all worth it. And that’s thanks to my family, to Iván, and especially to Pablo, Jon, Chechu, Alejandro Echevarría… All of them have always supported me, and thanks to them, I’m playing and I’m happy.”

Another highlight of this interview was Gavi responding to people criticising his play style:

“The first thing, above all, is that a lot of people see me as a competitor, a warrior, or whatever they want to call it. And I am — I’m very competitive. But I also have quality on the ball, and a lot of people don’t appreciate that. I understand those who dislike me because of the way I play — maybe it’s not the most enjoyable for them to watch.”

“But many people underestimate my footballing ability, especially with the ball. They have no idea. But as long as the people who really know football recognize how good I am on the ball, I don’t care. In the end, it’s like you can’t be competitive and have quality, as if they were opposites. I’ll always be the same.”

Gavi also opened up on the role and influence of veterans in the squad:

“I always try to be the same. When I joined Barça’s first team, I had an incredible captain, Busi. I wish he had stayed longer so I could’ve learned even more from him. In my first year, I was 17, and if I stepped out of line or did something wrong, Busi would call me out. That’s important.”

“Now I’m 20, but I’ve already been in the first team for four years. I try to learn as much as I can from the veterans so that, one day, I can give the best advice to the younger players.”

As the midfielder himself mentioned, this injury was a valuable learning experience for him, which will only make him a more mature person. Hopefully, he will continue to showcase his talents for Barcelona in the coming seasons, and help his team win more trophies.