Luis de la Fuente explains how Barcelona star was involved in one of the toughest moments of his tenure | OneFootball

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has had a very successful tenure with the national team so far, lifting the Euros 2024 but FC Barcelona fans always have a bone to pick with him due to the injury that Gavi suffered while on international duty.

Now, the manager has opened up on just how deeply Gavi’s injury hit the Spain camp, and Barcelona fans will understand every word of it. For all the focus that usually falls on tactics, form and tournament plans, this was a reminder that Gavi is valued far beyond what he offers on the pitch.

As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, the Spain coach reflected on one of the most painful episodes of his time in charge when speaking about the Barcelona midfielder, making clear that Gavi’s setback affected the group on a personal level as much as a football one. He said:

Those words say a lot about how Gavi is seen inside Spain. He is not just another talented midfielder or another Barca player with big status. De la Fuente was describing someone whose absence genuinely hurt the emotional core of the squad.

Gavi has always played with the kind of intensity that makes teammates and supporters feel protective of him. He throws himself into matches with total honesty, and that naturally creates a strong bond around him.

No manager will play a player knowing he is an injury risk and De La Fuente would have definitely not known that Gavi could suffer an ACL injury on that fateful night against Georgia in 2023. Since then, it has been a couple of years of horror for the Spaniard.

After two long injury absences, the Spaniard is finally back in the first-team squad with Barcelona and he will hope that he can put this ACL injury on the back burner and get his career back on track. If he does, it won’t be long before Spain calls him up to their ranks again.