Hansi Flick hints at yet another start for 18-year-old La Masia graduate against Rayo Vallecano | OneFootball

One of Hansi Flick’s bravest calls against Sevilla last weekend was his decision to start Xavi Espart for the first ever time in the teenager’s career. To be fair to him, the teenager put on a tidy performance and did not disappoint.

Now, it looks increasingly like the teenager is more than just an emergency solution for Barcelona. The 18-year-old La Masia midfielder has stepped into the conversation at exactly the point of the season when trust matters most.

As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Flick was asked directly whether Espart could start and gave an answer that sounded highly encouraging for the teenager. The Barca coach said:

“Xavi has confidence. It seems he has a very low heart rate because of the way he plays. He needs a good mentality. He can be a very good option for us.”

That is the line that stands out most. Flick was not simply being polite about a young player from the academy. He highlighted composure, mentality and usefulness, which are three qualities coaches usually mention when they are genuinely considering a player for an important role.

Flick clearly sees calmness in Espart’s game, the kind of natural control that helps young midfielders survive at senior level without looking rushed or overwhelmed. Xavi plays at right-back but seems to have the brain of a midfielder.

Rayo are a team that are extremely intense in the manner they play, irrespective of whether it is at home or away. Thus, Xavi is likely to have a defensive test tomorrow and it will bring out his mettle in this regard.

Xavi looks set to stay in the first-team and if he does get a start, let’s wait and see if he can make the most of it tomorrow at the Camp Nou.