GETAFE, Spain: Xavi Hernandez believes young Barcelona midfielder Gavi would be happiest staying at the club, amid speculation he could leave in the summer, the Catalan coach said Saturday.
Gavi signed a contract renewal with Barcelona until 2026 in September but because of the club’s financial difficulties, they have not been able to register it with La Liga.
That means Gavi remains on his previous deal, which is set to expire in June, allowing him to sign for free for any other side.
Chelsea and Bayern Munich have been linked to Gavi in recent weeks, but Xavi said the 18-year-old should stay at Barcelona.
“I don’t know what other people are thinking, but I think that Gavi would not be as happy at any other team than he is at Barca,” Xavi told a news conference.
“He has everything here, we value him, he’s a starter at 18, he’s decisive for the team.
“He’s a very important player and he’s a player that excites me. He’s a marvellous footballer, and I think his future lies at Barca — he would not be as happy elsewhere.”
Gavi has established himself as an important figure both for Barcelona and the Spanish national team over the past two years, after coming through his club’s La Masia youth academy.
Barcelona are 13 points clear at the top of La Liga and visit Getafe on Sunday, aiming to take a step closer to their first title since 2019.
The team will travel by high-speed train to Madrid for the match instead of flying, which Xavi said was an effort to reduce pollution.
“We hadn’t done it before because it’s a bit longer,” added the coach.
“It’s about pollution and we think it’s the ideal time to do it because the game is at four in the afternoon.
“It won’t affect us, it’s something we’re open to.”
Earlier this season French side Paris Saint-Germain faced a backlash after coach Christophe Galtier and striker Kylian Mbappe mocked a suggestion that they should take the train to nearby games instead of flying.
Gavi would be happiest staying at Barca — Xavi
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Gavi would be happiest staying at Barca — Xavi
- Gavi signed a contract renewal with Barcelona until 2026 in September
- Chelsea and Bayern Munich have been linked to Gavi in recent weeks
Neres double leads Napoli to Super Cup glory in Riyadh
- The Italian Super Cup final took place at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh as Napoli faced first-time participants Bologna
- Napoli defeated AC Milan in the first semi-final on December 18, while Bologna edged past Inter Milan on penalties on December 19
It was a night to remember for David Neres. Arriving in Riyadh looking to cement a regular starting role, the Brazilian winger delivered in emphatic fashion, scoring twice to follow up on his semi-final to lead Napoli to the title and conclude his performance as Man of the Match.
Neres, who netted his first brace for the club exactly one month ago against Atalanta in the Serie A, will have given Napoli’s coaching staff plenty to think about after his decisive performances in the four-team tournament.
Initially, Napoli were made to work for their breakthrough. Bologna kept them at bay for the opening half hour, with Neres and Rasmus Hojlund managing to break past the lines on more than one occasion, only to be denied Torborjn Heggem and Jhon Lucumi.
Semi-final hero Federico Ravaglia’s composure was on show as he protected the Bologna between the posts, but he was finally beaten in the 39th minute by a moment of quality, as Neres curled a superb strike into the corner to give Napoli the lead.
Napoli maintained control after the break, showcasing their passing combinations in front of the energetic Riyadh crowd while searching for a second to put the game beyond doubt.
That second arrived in the 57th minute, with Neres once again in the heart of it. The winger won possession from Lucumi on the edge of the box before clipping it over Ravaglia to extend Napoli’s lead.
Neres was inches away from completing his hat-trick, racing forward on the counter following a through ball to Hojlund, only for the latter's pass across the box proving a tad powerful for the Brazilian to convert.
When Neres was withdrawn 15 minutes later, the stadium rose to applaud his performance, deservedly, as he carried Napoli to their first Super Cup title in over a decade.
Napoli nearly added a third late on, when in the 87th minute, Matteo Politano was found right in front of the open net only to lift his effort narrowly over the crossbar.
The victory – Napoli’s maiden triumph in Riyadh – represents their third Italian Super Cup title, following previous triumphs in 1990 and 2014. It was a fitting moment of redemption, after their injury-time defeat to Inter Milan at Al-Awwal Park in the 2023 final.
The 2025/26 was the sixth Italian Super Cup hosted in the Kingdom, with Napoli becoming the fourth different winner after Juventus (2018, 2019), Inter Milan (2022, 2023) and AC Milan (2024/25).
