FC Barcelona midfielder Gavi has hailed his teammate Lamine Yamal as the best player in the world, second only to Lionel Messi, following their impressive performance against Real Betis in the Copa del Rey. Both players found the net in a dominant 5-1 victory, which saw Barcelona advance to the quarter-finals of the competition.
Gavi and Yamal each scored in the match, with Gavi opening the scoring and Yamal sealing the win with Barcelona’s fifth goal. The Catalan side continued their excellent form after a 5-1 triumph over Real Madrid to reclaim the Spanish Super Cup earlier in the week.
While Gavi has shown continued improvement since recovering from an ACL injury that sidelined him for nearly a year, it was Yamal’s performance that stood out, drawing high praise from his teammate.
When asked if Yamal is the best player in the world, Gavi responded: “For me, Lamine is the best in the world, behind only Messi.” However, Gavi quickly added a dose of perspective, saying, “It’s foolish to compare him to Messi, because there will only be one. He’s unique, just like there will only be one Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, or [Sergio] Busquets. We have to make our own way.”
On rumors regarding Ronald Araujo’s potential move to Juventus, Gavi urged Barcelona fans to stay calm. “Many journalists make things up, but Araujo is going to stay. I have always trusted that Ronald will stay,” Gavi assured.
Reflecting on Barcelona’s struggles towards the end of 2023, which saw a six-point La Liga lead slip away, Gavi insisted that the team’s drop in form was not due to poor play, but rather a lack of goals. “We didn’t deserve the last defeats but the ball didn’t go in,” he said. “We deserved to win all the games we lost points in.”
With Barcelona now through to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, the team shifts focus to their upcoming La Liga match against Getafe on Saturday evening.
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