Barcelona make history: The 'Gavi Generation' begins
It has been a season of mixed emotions for Barcelona fans, with probably more downs than ups, but hope for the future is in plain sight and the squad's younger players are the ones making the difference right now as well.
Gavi, 17, became the youngest goalscorer in Europe's top leagues this season with his strike against Elche in Saturday's 3-2 win for the Blaugrana. The teenager has started every game for Xavi and become a full international with Spain as well.
He's not the only youngster impressing, either, with the other goals in that game coming from Ferran Jutlga and Nico Gonzalez, while Abde Ezzalzouli, Alejandro Balde and others have been playing their part as well. Xavi even said after the game that he'd have given even more youngsters their chance if the rules allowed it.
Jutgla, 22, was making just his second appearance and first start for the club in the game and his has been an unlikely route to LaLiga Santander after being let go by Espanyol B at the end of last season. His goal made him the third-quickest debutant to score for Barcelona in LaLiga in the 21st century.
Abde, 20, is another who hasn't been at the club long but is already making inroads into the first team. The Moroccan joined the B team from Hercules at the beginning of the season and has already started four games under Xavi, scoring his first goal recently against Osasuna.
New generation
Comparisons in football are generally best avoided, as they either set false expectations, create unnecessary pressure or simply fail to appreciate a different set of circumstances and the individuality of each player. That said, Barcelona head coach Xavi himself has suggested that the current crop of youngsters making the breakthrough at the Camp Nou might be even better than the group he played alongside.
The generation of Pedro, Sergio Busquets, Oier, Marc Valiente, Xavi Torres, Botia, VÃctor Sanchez, Jeffren and VÃctor Vazquez is often hailed as a stellar crop, but Xavi has high hopes for the current batch. Alongside the young players already mentioned above, we can add Eric Garcia (20), Ronald Araujo (22), Pedri (19) and Ansu Fati (19) and if all of them can continue to contribute and develop, Xavi might well be very right.
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