Gavi received praise from fans online for his performance during the LaLiga match between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao on Sunday (May 25). The midfielder was a stalwart in the middle of the park, as La Blaugrana wrapped up their 2024-25 LaLiga campaign with a 3-0 win at San Mames.
Having already been confirmed champions, it was unsurprising to see Barcelona start the game slowly. Their slow start almost got them punished, as Maroan Sannadi found the net just five minutes in, though his goal was chalked off for an offside on Alex Berenguer.
The visitors immediately picked themselves up and were up by two goals before the 20th minute, thanks to a brace from Robert Lewandowski. Bilbao’s failure to register a single shot on target meant Barcelona took a two-goal advantage into the break.
Flick’s side continued their dominance in the second half, which limited Bilbao’s threat upfront. Their visitors added to their tally in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Dani Olmo converted from the spot. The result meant that Barcelona finished the 2024-25 campaign with a four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
While Lewandowski was impressive, Gavi stood out for the Catalans. The 20-year-old was arguably La Blaugrana’s best midfielder on the night. He won 16 out of 20 duels and three out of eight tackles, maintained a passing accuracy of 97% (95/98), and was the club’s highest-rated player (7.7), as per Sofascore.
After the match, fans on X (formerly Twitter) lauded his performance, with one writing:
Another tweeted:
Hansi Flick was happy with the performances of Gavi and Pedri during their match against Bilbao on Sunday. Apart from Gavi, Pedri was impressive against Lehoiak, completing the most passes (115/123) and winning two out of three tackles and five out of 10 duels..
Speaking after the match, Flick said of both players (via Barca Universal’s X handle):
Pedri has been a key player for Barca this season, recording six goals and eight assists in 59 games.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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