4 september 2022 – FC Barcelona convincingly settled with Sevilla (0-3) on Saturday evening and did not need the help of Memphis Depay, while Frenkie de Jong was allowed to come in for another half hour. After the game, trainer Xavi paid great compliments to Gavi, normally the big competitor in midfield for Frenkie. The same thing happened with a competition from Memphis.
Although the former Ajax player replaced Pedri this time and played for the suspended Sergio Busquets two weeks ago, Gavi seems to be the only basic customer in midfield with whom Frenkie can still compete seriously. Still, it seems that Xavi is not going to take him out of the main starting eleven soon either, because the coach was full of praise for him on Saturday evening.
“He works very hard, shows discipline and is the heart of the team,” Xavi said Brand his song of praise. “He was the best player on the field, because of his intensity, fighting spirit, passing and high pressure. He has his heart in his legs. That doesn’t surprise me, because I see him training every day.” Gavi therefore remained on the field for ninety minutes against Sevilla.
The trainer was also pleased with the collaboration with Busquets and Pedri. “They did really well and were helped by the wingers,” he said of the three midfielders, who faced four from Sevilla. That was surprising, because Julen Lopetegui’s formation normally comes in a 4-3-3, but this time came up with a 4-4-2. According to Xavi, the three midfielders of FC Barcelona have shown themselves excellently.
Also read: Xavi challenges Memphis Depay at FC Barcelona
Memphis Depay
Although two fresh forwards came in with Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati, Memphis Depay was on the bench for 90 minutes like every official game so far. The Dutchman can play on the left, but exactly the man standing there also received compliments from Xavi. “I am a fan of Ousmane Dembele. He also helps the rest of the team with his defensive contributions, just like Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. We have players who can make a difference and Ousmane is definitely one of them.”
