18-year-old recent Barcelona debutant justifies Flick’s Lahm comparisons by thriving in a different position for Spain U-19s – Report | OneFootball

Hansi Flick’s latest project from La Masia seems to be Xavi Espart. The FC Barcelona manager waxes lyrical about the teenager even before he played a single minute of senior football and it does feel like the hype around him is justified.

The 18-year-old only recently made his senior debut under Hansi Flick as a right-back, but his latest outing for Spain Under-19s showed why the coach sees something much broader in him. In Spain’s 4-0 win over Slovenia in the Elite Round, Espart stepped into midfield and looked comfortable there too.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Paco Gallardo used the Barca youngster as an interior rather than at right-back, and that decision immediately brought Flick’s earlier Philipp Lahm comparison back into focus. The German coach had already praised Espart’s calm on the ball and his ability to play as either a No. 6 or a No. 2, which is exactly the kind of versatility top teams value.

Espart did not score, but he still left his mark, getting off two shots and helping Spain control the game in Benidorm. Spain now face Finland on March 28 and the Netherlands on March 31, knowing only the group winner will reach the European Championship finals in Wales from June 28 to July 11.

Quim Junyent also featured, coming on in the 71st minute and creating one chance that was saved. His lack of rhythm has been affected by limited minutes with Juvenil A, with his expected move to Almeria in July still hanging over the situation.

From a Barca perspective, the most interesting part is not just that Espart played well. It is that he looked natural in a role that demands decision-making, spacing and confidence under pressure. Flick clearly does not see him as a fixed full-back. He seems to view Espart as one of those modern players who can solve different problems in the same match, and that is a major compliment at Barcelona, where tactical intelligence often separates prospects from first-team regulars.

It is still early, and one youth international performance should not be turned into a grand prediction. However, Xavi seems to have all the makings of a top technical player and looks set to stay in the first-team picture under the German manager.

It remains to be seen where Flick plans to use Xavi the most and if he develops into a player who can play all these roles and wants a fixed position to learn and grow in.