Barcelona starlet keen to follow in friend Gavi’s footsteps – ‘Now it’s up to me’ | OneFootball

Barcelona youngster Aleix Garrido has said he hopes to play with his friend and long-time teammate Gavi in the first team at some point. The 19-year-old made his debut in La Liga last season, coming on against Elche, and it is thought that he will do preseason with the first-team.

Currently Garrido is on duty with the Spanish under-19 team, who are competing in the Euros. In interview with Radio Catalunya, Garrido admitted that he would have just four days of holiday, but was not about to ask for more.

“When I return from the national team we are already in preseason and I am not here to ask for a holiday. There is nothing comparable to being able to do the preseason with the first team. It’s one thing to be called up for a game and another, to spend weeks with your idols, get to know them first-hand and fight every training session and every game to get a place in the team one day.”

Garrido signed a deal until 2025 with the club recently, which includes a €400m release clause. Nevertheless, the Blaugrana will likely have to return to the negotiating table next summer.

“It is a scary clause, but that way no-one can sign me. This means that the club trusts me a lot and that these next two years I won’t move from here.”

“I don’t know. In any case, it was very clear to me that I wanted to continue at Barca.”

Garrido was a long-time teammate of Gavi, who has made the jump to the senior side ahead of time, and Garrido admitted that the prospect of playing with him for Barcelona at the top level is something that he had imagined.

“We’ve enjoyed ourselves together for a long time. We get along well and we still have a close relationship.”

“We’ve thought about it, being able to play together in the first team, but it’s very difficult. He seems to have achieved it, and now it’s up to me.”

Manager Xavi Hernandez has praised Garrido in the past, and he certainly has an eye for a pass, and the ability to play them. His immediate path into the first team is somewhat blocked by Gavi, Pedri, Ilkay Gundogan, Franck Kessie and Frenkie de Jong.