"It's all lies" - Barcelona star Gavi shuts down speculation of unrest following decision in UEFA Champions League clash against Benfica

Barcelona's midfield sensation Gavi has revealed that he has never been upset when he doesn't make Hansi Flick's starting XI. This comes after rumors had emerged that the Spaniard was unhappy for failing to secure a starting role against Benfica.

La Blaugrana registered a comfortable 3-1 win over Benfica in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. Given that the first leg ended 1-0 in favor of Barca, the aggregate scoreline was 4-1.

However, Gavi missed the first leg due to an injury, and he only featured for 21 minutes during the second leg. This fueled rumors that Gavi might be out of favor in Barca's midfield, and the Spaniard has now debunked such rumors, branding them as lies.

In a post-match interview after the UCL game against Benfica, Gavi watered down the unrest rumors and expressed his commitment to remain at Camp Nou. He said (via Fabrizio Romano):

"I was never upset when I didn’t start… people make up a lot of things but it's all lies. I signed a five-year contract here and I will stick to it because this is the club of my life. I'm calm, the coach trusts me a lot."

Despite failing to start in Barcelona's last four games across all competitions, Gavi seems to be comfortable with the situation at Camp Nou. In 25 appearances, the Spaniard has registered five goal contributions for Barca this season (two goals and three assists).

Pedri deserves to win the Ballon d’Or says Barcelona midfielder Gavi

FC Barcelona v FK Crvena Zvezda - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 - Source: Getty

Barca’s midfielder Gavi has opined that Pedri Gonzalez deserves to win the Ballon d’Or this year. This comes after Pedri was named the Man of the Match in La Blaugrana’s 3-1 UCL win over Benfica.

In an interview after the game, Gavi was full of admiration for his compatriot and teammate Pedri. He said (via Fabrizio Romano):

"Pedri deserves to win the Ballon d’Or more than any other player”. “His class is clear, everyone knows what kind of special player he is."

Pedri has proven to be one of Barca's midfield powerhouses in recent years. He's known for his intuition in attack and ability to stabilize at the center of the parc. The Spaniard has been on the scoresheet five times and delivered six assists in 41 games for the Camp Nou outfit this season.