Gavi says fellow La Masia talent has ‘changed the most’ at Barcelona | OneFootball

In this new era for FC Barcelona, a lot of the responsibilities and expectations have been placed on the youth. Instead of expecting the veterans to secure success immediately, the primary goal is to allow the youngsters to develop in the right setting and environment. Fortunately for Barcelona, those youngsters are already up for the task.

Hansi Flick himself has been quite dependent on La Masia this season, and it has shown through in his squads and the nature of his team selection. However, the strength of these youngsters has much deeper roots than simply finding themselves in the first team together.

The fact that they have all grown up together within the walls of La Masia is a good place to start. In a recent Barca One release titled ‘The Next Generation’, several of these Barcelona academy talents can be seen sitting together and discussing their progress and evolution.

However, one remark that 20-year-old Barcelona Golden Boy Gavi made was quite eye-catching, and SPORT has highlighted it as well. During his conversation with the likes of Inaki Pena, Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, and Fermin Lopez, the young midfielder made a specific remark regarding Lopez in terms of his development:

“The one who‘s changed the most physically is Fermin. He used to be tiny, but now he’s solid.”

Fermin Lopez, aged 21, is older than Gavi but unlike the rest of his teammates, his path to the Barcelona first team was not quite as simple and straightforward as theirs. In his case, continuity at Barcelona was never a guarantee from the start and he had to earn his way through loan spells as well.

Only after having established himself as a player to be taken seriously did the youngster finally get his opportunities with the first team. Moreover, he did not let those opportunities go to waste even for one second. Against Real Madrid in his preseason debut under Xavi Hernandez, his long-range goal and brave assist were both perhaps essential in taking him where he is today.

Now also a Olympic Gold medalist with the Spanish National team that took part in the competition this summer, Lopez has come a long way and Gavi’s words only further prove that. He currently remains in recovery but it is expected that he will be back in action quite soon.

Despite the compliment, however, Gavi did not forget to poke a little fun at him as well during their conversation:

“… Though I’ll still take you down.”

The players laughed at the remark and continued their rather friendly conversation with one another. This only goes on to show, beyond just the friendship between Gavi and Lopez, the friendly connection that these players share and just how lively this new group of Barcelona talents looks to be.