Hansi Flick adopting a cautious approach with Barcelona midfield star’s fitness

Gavi’s non-involvement in Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid earlier this week raised eyebrows.

Not only did the Spaniard not start at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, as Fermin Lopez was chosen to strengthen the midfield, but he did not play even a single minute.

Given his relentless intensity and quality, many expected him to feature in such a high-stakes match, but the youngster did not even step on the pitch.

Careful approach after long-term injury

However, now, according to AS, Gavi’s absence was pre-planned. Flick and his staff had already agreed with the midfielder that he would only play if the match went to extra time.

The idea was to limit his time to a maximum of 30 minutes to avoid overloading him. Additionally, Gavi felt slight knee discomfort during warm-ups, leading to a final decision not to risk him.

Barcelona’s medical staff is carefully monitoring Gavi’s recovery after his long-term injury. After nearly a year-long absence, he returned at the end of October, but was warned that regaining his peak form would take time.

They estimated that he would need four to five months post-clearance to fully recover confidence and fitness.

The March international break marked a turning point, as he played his first full match against Osasuna and then 66 minutes against Girona. He performed well, but playing three matches in a week posed a risk.

As a precaution, his minutes were reduced against Atletico, with Fermin starting and Eric Garcia coming on later. Had there been no extra-time factor, Gavi might have been the preferred substitute instead of Eric, but Flick prioritized caution.

As confirmed by Flick earlier today, Gavi is fit and ready for the clash against Real Betis. If all goes as planned, Barcelona fans can expect to see him back in action in Montjuic tomorrow.