Gavi doesn't give up looking for more minutes with Spain
Barcelona midfielder Gavi is determined to fight for more minutes in the Spanish national team, even with the little space he has had so far in the World Cup.
Spain may have advanced to the round of 16 after finishing first in their group, but La Roja are still far from their best and are clearly not clicking offensively. One of the players who has found it difficult to shine is Gavi. The Barcelona midfielder was a last-minute surprise call-up by coach Luis de la Fuente, but one that was well deserved. Gavi, after all, was one of Barcelona's fittest players during the final stretch of the season. However, in the World Cup so far, his impact has been minimal except in the opening match.
According to Mundo Deportivo, despite his limited participation, Gavi is not giving up his fight for more minutes as Spain progresses through the tournament. He did not play after the game against Cape Verde. The Spanish press was surprised when De la Fuente selected him as a starter in the opening match against Cape Verde, where he played as a left winger wearing the number nine shirt. Gavi marked his second World Cup with a typically energetic display, finishing as the player with the most direct pressures in the game, totaling eight. However, those words didn't translate into playing time. Since playing 71 minutes against Cape Verde, Gavi has not featured again, falling behind only young striker Hamza Abdelkarim in the ranking of minutes played by Barcelona players in the tournament. With Spain now in the round of 16, opportunities for the team's less frequent starters are likely to become scarcer. However, a chance could be opening up for Gavi. Both Yeremy Pino and Nico Williams are expected to be unavailable for the round of 32 clash against Austria, which could open up space for Gavi to return to the team. The Barcelona midfielder, eager to continue demonstrating his quality on the biggest stage, is determined not to let any opportunity pass him by. De la Fuente, however, has other options at his disposal, including fellow Barcelona forward Dani Olmo, who appears to be Spain's best bet as they look to find the right attacking formula.
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