Spain's worst worries about Gavi come true
Spain's national team has to pay dearly for a victory in the European Championship qualifiers: Midfield star Gavi is seriously injured, the 19-year-old from FC Barcelona is facing a long break - and the prospect of missing out on next summer's European Championship.
The fears have been confirmed: Spain's youngster Gavi has completely torn his anterior cruciate ligament and will be out for months. This means that the 19-year-old is also in danger of missing the European Championships in Germany (June 14 to July 14). The diagnosis was announced by his club FC Barcelona and the midfielder's lateral meniscus has also been affected.
Gavi will undergo surgery in the coming days, after which a "new medical report" will be published. The club has not yet given any details on the time he will be out of action.
The exceptional player had to leave the field in tears in the 26th minute of the European Championship qualifier against Georgia on Sunday (3:1) after a duel with Georgia's Luka Lochoshvili. The long absence is a huge blow for the European Championship title contenders. The 2022 FIFA Golden Boy award-winning youngster is one of the key players in the Spanish team that secured group victory ahead of Scotland.
Mood "like at a funeral"
"We are worried. This is the most bitter victory I've ever experienced," said Spain's national coach Luis de la Fuente immediately after the win against Georgia, even before the diagnosis had been made. Nevertheless, the Spaniards already suspected that it must be a serious injury: The atmosphere in the dressing room was "like a funeral", de la Fuente went on to report.
After the 2:1 scoreline, goalscorer Ferran Torres had Gavi's number 9 shirt handed to him from the bench and then showed it to the cameras. "I send him lots of courage and strength so that he recovers as quickly as possible. We don't know the extent of the injury, but knowing how much of a fighter Gavi is, we think it could be serious," said Ferran Torres.
Since Gavi made his first-team debut for FC Barcelona at the age of 17 against Getafe in August 2021, the midfielder has made 111 appearances, 89 of them in the starting eleven, scoring seven goals and providing 12 assists. He has played 27 times for the national team.
Despite the surgery scheduled, the exact timeline for Gavi's return remains uncertain. This uncertainty places his participation in UEFA's European Football Championship 2024 in doubt.
Gavi's anticipated absence from the field is a concern for UEFA, as the young Spanish midfielder has been instrumental in securing success for both FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team in recent years.
Source: www.ntv.de
