BARCELONA: Barcelona midfielder Gavi will be part of the La Liga leaders’ squad to face Sevilla this weekend after a long injury lay-off, coach Hansi Flick confirmed Saturday.
The 20-year-old has been absent since suffering a severe knee injury playing for Spain in November 2023, missing his country’s Euro 2024 triumph this summer.
“For Gavi it’s the next step, it’s an important step, all the coaches, the whole club are happy, that’s is the next step, and he is on the bench,” Flick told a news conference.
The tenacious midfielder burst into Barcelona’s first team in the 2021-22 season and became Spain’s youngest ever player at 17, but was soon usurped by team-mate Lamine Yamal.
Barcelona will also be boosted by the return of Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez after their recent injuries, while Flick confirmed teenage star Yamal is fit after a minor hamstring issue.
“The rest and the treatments for him were really good, so thank you to the national team,” said Flick. “He is ready to play.”
Flick said Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who also recently made his comeback from an ankle injury, felt discomfort in training and was a doubt for the game on Sunday at the club’s temporary Olympic stadium home.
Barcelona still have several players out injured including Ronald Araujo, Ferran Torres and Andreas Christensen.
Gavi back from long-term injury for Barca: Flick
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Gavi back from long-term injury for Barca: Flick
- The 20-year-old has been absent since suffering a severe knee injury playing for Spain in November 2023
- “For Gavi it’s the next step, it’s an important step, all the coaches, the whole club are happy, that is the next step, and he is on the bench,” Flick told a news conference
UAE, Egypt share points as Jordan, Algeria and Iraq book Arab Cup quarter-final spots
- Arab Cup reaching the finale of the group stages as knockouts loom
DOHA: The UAE and Egypt played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday to keep both sides’ progression hopes alive at the Arab Cup, while Jordan, Algeria and Iraq all secured their places in the quarter-finals.
Cosmin Olaroiu’s UAE side had the best chance of the opening half, with Mohamed Bassam producing a fine outstretched-leg save to deny Bruno from close range. They eventually broke the deadlock on the hour mark through a flowing counter-attack from one end of the pitch to the other, Nicolas Jimenez squaring for Caio Lucas to sweep the ball past Bassam.
Egypt rescued a share of the spoils late on when Karim Eraky delivered an 85th-minute cross that Marwan Hamdy headed back across goal.
The Pharaohs thought they had snatched a winner moments later, but the effort was ruled out for offside in the build-up, leaving Egypt second in the group, a point clear of both the UAE and Kuwait.
Jordan became the latest team to book their place in the quarter-finals with a dramatic 3-1 victory over Kuwait in Group C at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. The World Cup 2026 qualifiers caught Kuwait off guard for the opening goal, taking a quick free-kick some 30 yards out for Mohannad Abu Taha to unleash a fierce strike beyond Sulaiman Abdulghafour.
Abdulghafour was tested repeatedly and beaten again early in the second half as Saed Al-Rosan converted from close range following another dangerous corner delivery from Mahmoud Mardi.
Kuwait set up a tense finale when substitute Yousef Nasser headed home from Eid Al-Rashidi’s cross, but Ali Olwan sealed the result deep into added time by converting a penalty after being brought down by the goalkeeper.
Defending champions Algeria underlined their title credentials with a commanding 5-1 win over Bahrain, with Qatar-based players playing a decisive role in all five goals.
Al-Wakrah’s Redouane Berkane opened the scoring before setting up Al-Duhail’s Adil Boulbina for the second, shortly after Bahrain had levelled during a frantic six-minute spell.
Berkane then won a penalty, converted by Yassine Benzia in first-half stoppage time, before scoring his second shortly after the restart.
Substitute Yacine Brahimi later teed up Boulbina for his second as Algeria completed a comfortable victory, maintaining an unbeaten start ahead of their group finale against Iraq on Tuesday.
Iraq also progressed to the last eight after withstanding heavy early pressure from Sudan before striking twice late on at Stadium 974.
After spending much of the first half on the back foot, Graham Arnold’s side took the lead when Player of the Match Mohanad Ali capitalised on a poor defensive header from a free-kick. Amjed Attwan then secured the win six minutes from time, sending the passionate Iraq support into raptures.
