Courtesy: FC Barcelona
After being out of action for almost a year due to a major knee injury, Barcelona midfielder Gavi expressed his happiness about getting back to the field for his club team after a 348-day injury layoff. It was quite an emotional moment for Gavi when he stood beside the pitch, and got a standing ovation when he made his way onto the field on Sunday, October 21, to play as a substitute for Pedri during Barcelona's 5-1 home La Liga victory over Sevilla.
It was eleven months ago, during Spain's UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier match against Georgia, when Gavi tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) last year. The 20-year-old underwent surgery to repair the injury, which kept him out of action for the remainder of the season, including Spain's eventual victory at the Euros.
I'm very happy to be back with the team: Gavi on playing for Barcelona after 348-day injury layoff
Gavi was out of action for almost a year and was missing playing football, which he calls his life. Speaking to the reporters, he said he was happy to see how spectators and his teammates welcomed him on the field. "I'm very happy to be back with the team. I've been dreaming about this moment for many months and I'm grateful to everyone because they've made it so much easier for me," Gavi told Movistar Plus.
"The worst thing during the layoff is not playing with my team mates. Seeing the team from the outside is very hard and gives you a different perspective, you learn that you have to enjoy every moment and appreciate things," he added.
Barca dominated Sevilla in the first half, scoring two goals (Robert Lewandowski's 11th and 12th in La Liga this season) in between a Pedri goal to make it nine wins from ten in the league, and stay three points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the standings. Pablo Torre, a substitute, added two more goals after the interval, while Stanis Idumbo gave Sevilla a late consolation goal. The Catalan team scored five goals to begin a week that will see them play against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
