Gavi of Barcelona suffered a terrible knee injury during a Euro 2024 qualifying match against Georgia at Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla on Sunday night, November 19.
The Spanish International player was included in the starting XI of the La Roja team along with Manchester City player Rodri and Fabian Ruiz of Paris Saint Germain.
Spain national team have already secured their place in the tournament which will be held in Germany next summer alongside Scotland, but the worst case was the 2012 Euro champions losing their key player at the hand of serious injury.
What happened to Gavi?
The 19-year-old felt pain in his right knee after a tackle with a Georgian player but he attempted to continue playing.
Gavi then placed himself to take a high pass out of the air near the touchline, shortly shaking his body as he looked to control the ball and ran towards the penalty area.
However, as he turned, the 19-year-old instantly knew something terrible had happened, he fell to the ground and was held groaning through the pitch side microphones.
Gavi was subbed off and replaced by Oihan Sancet in the 26th minute, with Spain’s team doctor Oscar Luis Celada indicating he was ‘very worried’ for the midfielder when asked about his injury at halftime by Spanish reporters.
It is too early to tell how serious the injury is, but the early indications don’t look primarily favourable.
The 19-year-old will undergo primary medical tests with the national team in Valladolid before he’ll return to Catalonia for additional examination.
FC Barcelona have had a full host of injury crisis to deal with in the first few months of the season but Gavi has been protected from them until now, missing only two matches because of suspensions.
The Barca wonderkid was in obvious pain and although he was able to walk off the pitch with some assistance from the team staff, it was noticeable that the 19-year-old was in no state to play any further part.
Spain were leading the visitors in the 4th minute of play through Le Normand’s strike before Napoli hitman Kvaratskhelia pulled one back for Georgia in the 10th minute.
Gavi’s Teammates pay tribute to the midfielder
Gavi teammate Ferran Torres put Spain back into the lead early in the second half and celebrated by holding up a Gavi No. 9 shirt, indicating that his mates were already informed of how critical the injury is set to be.
Torres later took to his social media page to post the picture with the caption; “The victory and the ones to come are for you @Pablogavi”.
Another fellow teammate Pedri also posted the duo picture on his Instagram page with the caption; “We are with you brother, much strength @Pablogavi I know you’ll come back stronger than ever”.
After the final whistle, it was confirmed that Gavi had suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament issue, which means he’s set to be sidelined for a substantial period.
It is believed that the 19-year-old will now return to Barcelona for a thorough test on Monday, November 20, which will help determine the specific timeline for recovery.
However, Gavi has joined the host of stars who sustained injuries during the international break.
Below is the list of some notable players who will be sidelined for a long or short period.
Erling Haaland
Vinicius Jr.
Gavi
Eduardo Camavinga
Andre Onana
Marcus Rashford
Allesnadro Bastoni
Fabio Miretti
Andre Ter Stegen
Mikel Oyarzabal
Zaire Emery
Gavi has been a crucial figure for Barcelona since making his debut in July 2021, appearing on 111 outings in all competitions and scoring seven goals.
Gavi has recorded 10 starts under coach Xavi with the midfielder scoring one goal and dashing out one assist so far this season.
Gavi has been an important member of Catalonia’s starting XI due to the long-term injuries suffered by fellow midfield teammates Frenkie de Jong and Pedri earlier this season.
What’s next?
Barcelona presently sit behind regular challengers Real Madrid and surprise league leader Girona in the La Liga table after 13 games, and Xavi’s side will be looking to close the gap when they travel to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, November 26.
