Two Barcelona starlets could gain prominence in the first team following Gavi’s injury

Barcelona have been dealt a massive blow this week as star midfielder Gavi picked up a fresh ACL injury. He is set to be on the sidelines for at least eight to nine months.

Gavi’s fresh injury compounds Barcelona’s midfield problems, especially in a season where they have missed out on the services of Pedri.

Shortly after Gavi’s injury was confirmed, Barcelona were already said to be considering recalling Pablo Torre from his loan deal at Girona.

However, it appears Barça may now instead rely more on their homegrown youngsters, in their bid to replace Gavi.

Unai Hernandez & Aleix Garrido to earn more prominence

According to Mundo Deportivo, two Barça youngsters who are set to benefit from Gavi’s ACL injuries are Unai Hernandez and Aleix Garrido.

The report points out that Barcelona have great trust in these two youngsters, who are prominent members of the reserve side.

Hernandez is yet to even make his competitive debut for Barcelona while Garrido has made just one appearance for Barça, which came in the last season against Elche.

However, both players have been training with the senior side for a while.

The two of these youngsters have shown immense potential in the youth stages and could gain more prominence in the senior team following Gavi’s injury, the report adds.

Time to step up?

Although both Hernandez and Garrido haven’t yet had the chance to represent the Barcelona senior side this season, they must step up in this crucial period.

Both the young players have technical qualities and can prove to be interesting alternatives for Gavi. However, they must make full use of their opportunities.

In the meantime, Barça are likely to keep an eye on the market, with Giovani Lo Celso emerging as a top target.

At the same time, other young in-house talents like Marc Bernal, Marc Casado, and Noah Darvich could also be options for Xavi.