Hansi Flick urges patience with Gavi's recovery as Barcelona eye cautious return

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has requested calm and long-term thinking as Gavin is coming closer towards making a comeback after a lengthy injury layoff.

Hansi Flick wants patience in Gavi's comeback

Gavi has been on the sidelines for almost five months following injuring his knee during training on August 29, 2025, the same knee in which he picked up an anterior cruciate ligament rupture in November 2023.

He has played only two games for Barcelona so far this season but has entered the last phase of his recovery after weeks of gym work and sessions with the club's physiotherapists.

Ahead of Barcelona's league clash against Real Oviedo, Flick said that Gavi is getting better in his recovery, but the side is not rushing his comeback without achieving full fitness.

“I see him almost every day,” Flick told reporters when asked if he expects Gavi to return in February. “He’s training and improving a lot. The most important thing for him is to stay calm and take it step by step. There’s no need to rush things. He has a long career ahead of him and there’s no need to hurry. If he comes back in February, we’ll be happy, but for me the important thing is that he comes back fit.”

As per a report in Marca, Gavi is expected to start training with the teammates again in about 10 days. With the midfielder in the recovery process, Barcelona will be sure to monitor him closely to see how he progresses.

Hansi Flick backs star defender amid disappointing performances

The German tactician admits that Pau Cubarsi sometimes does not play at his best but focused that he is still only 19 years old and added that he has played a lot of games.

“He is now 19 years old. In recent games, he has played a lot of minutes, and it is normal for him to go through certain situations. He is playing at the highest level and has a lot of potential. For me, he is one of the best centre-backs in Spain,” Flick said.

So far this season, Curbarsi has played 26 games for Barcelona across all competitions. Since breaking into the first team in 2024 and cementing himself as a regular, Cubarsi has played over 100 games.

The La Masia graduate quickly evolved into one of Barcelona's most important players.