Barcelona’s €90m-rated fan favourite feels prepared to return, club opting for caution

The wait is almost over for Barcelona fans eager to see Gavi back on the pitch as the young midfielder is closing in on a return after nearly 12 months out due to a torn ACL and meniscus sustained last November.

On September 12, Gavi participated in his first training session with the group under new manager Hansi Flick. Since then, he has gradually increased the intensity of his workouts and a return is not very far away.

Gavi feels prepared

In fact, according to journalist Alex Pintanel, Gavi is ready and feels prepared to return, but Barcelona are cautious about rushing him back into action.

The La Masia graduate has been increasing the intensity of his training sessions and has handled the higher workload well. Despite having had to face a few minor setbacks during his recovery, the youngster feels ready to compete again.

“He’s doing very well,” sources within the club have confirmed.

However, the Barcelona coaching staff, led by manager Hansi Flick himself, is eager to avoid any sort of risks with the 20-year-old.

Indeed, despite Gavi’s eagerness to return this week, some members of the coaching staff are more hesitant, preferring that he accumulates additional training load, especially with the upcoming international break after matches against Young Boys and Alaves.

As such, neither Flick nor Gavi has set a specific date for his comeback, but it is clear that the midfielder is now free of pain or discomfort.

In fact, as per the report, the 20-year-old fan favourite has had to be held back at times; if it were up to him, he would likely already be competing.

The Role of Ivan de la Pena

The report further sheds light on the crucial role that Gavi’s agent, Ivan de la Pena, has played throughout the recovery process.

A trusted advisor, he has guided Gavi every step of the way. Having had to retire from professional football due to injuries, De la Pena is particularly empathetic to Gavi’s situation and oversaw and monitored the midfielder’s recovery from day one.

While it remains uncertain exactly when Gavi will return to the field, it seems unlikely to be before the international break.

Following the international fixtures, Barcelona face a demanding week with matches against Sevilla, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid, which is when the young sensation will likely return.

*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.