Good as new Gavi is like a new signing for Barcelona

Given how much time he’s spent on the sidelines in the past couple of years, it’s remarkable that he’s come back as good as new and is still not shirking a tackle.

He’d be forgiven for being a little reticent, but such a way of working clearly isn’t in his make-up.

Against Atletico Madrid, he proved once again that he can be a great foil for Pedri, and perhaps the 4-2-3-1 formation favoured by Hansi Flick on the night is the way forward if Gavi is to be handed a regular start.

The German coach is blessed with a plethora of superb midfielders, each with their own attributes, and trying to manage game time for the likes of Pedri, Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, Marc Casado and Dani Olmo, has to be one of his biggest headaches.

With Gavi now thrown into that mix, it complicates the issue further.

However, after such a stunning post-injury comeback, the player would feel rightly aggrieved to be relegated back to a bit-part player, coming off the bench later in games.

There’s no reason whatsoever for Flick to take Gavi back out of the starting line-up unless there is mutual recognition that he needs a rest or other concerns related to his fitness.

With the World Cup just around the corner, too, it’s fairly clear that the player will want to give himself the best opportunity of ensuring a place in the La Roja squad.

Ultimately, any decision rests with Flick, but he’d be a brave man to restrict Gavi’s game time now – and Barca would be worse off if he does.