Barcelona manager Hansi Flick expressed that the warm welcome given to Gavi gave him goosebumps, as the midfielder made his comeback from an 11-month injury hiatus during Sunday’s 5-1 victory over Sevilla in LaLiga.
Gavi had been sidelined since tearing his ACL while representing Spain last November, but he came off the bench for the last 10 minutes of the match against Sevilla at the Olympic Stadium.
At just 20 years old, he replaced Pedri and took on the captain's armband, receiving an incredible ovation from the Barcelona fans upon his return to the field.
"I am happy for this result and especially for Gavi," Flick remarked during a press conference. "It's really amazing when you see the atmosphere in the stadium and the fans. It was goosebumps, unbelievable, and I like this.
"Any concerns about how Gavi's intense playing style might be affected by his injury were quickly laid to rest as he immediately engaged in challenges upon entering the game.
"The intensity he brought to the match when he came in was good," Flick noted. "But it'snormal; it's his way to play. Sometimes it's okay to be a bit calmer, but that’s not his style.
"Gavi expressed his joy at returning to action, thanking his teammates and fans for their support and stating that his time away from the pitch has helped him appreciate his opportunities even more.
"I have been dreaming about this for many months, and I am grateful to my teammates who made the process easier for me," he told reporters.
"The hardest thing is not playing, watching from the outside. It's frustrating and tough. You have to enjoy every moment, and [time out] allows you to value the things you have. I feel fortunate to be back.
"I missed playing football the most; this is my life, it is what I have always done. When all the fans and your teammates appreciate you and give you that reception, you feel very lucky."
Fenerbahce coach Jose Mourinho voiced his frustration with local journalists on Sunday after his team fell further behind Super Lig leaders Galatasaray, stating that he is "always" questioned about players who aren’t in the lineup.
Fenerbahce settled for a 2-2 draw against Samsunspor in a match that saw them concede a late equalizer.
In response to a reporter's inquiry about why certain players were not participating, Mourinho, who took over as Fenerbahce's head coach this summer, said after the match, "I'm starting to learn what Turkey is. I'm surprised that you don't ask why goalkeeper Irfan [Can Eğribayat] doesn't play, I'm surprised that you don't ask about [forward] Cenk Tosun; I'm surprised because you always ask about the players that don't play.
"For me, [Dušan] Tadić has been our best player for some matches, not because he scores important goals, but because of the balance he brings to the team, because of the organization he has in his brain, because he doesn't make positional or decision-making mistakes. If you don't want me to play him, and play somebody who isn't playingmuch, okay.
"Serbian forward Tadić started the match and netted his fifth league goal of the season. He has also tallied four assists in eight league games thus far.
"It's difficult for me to give more reasons because I don't want to analyze my players publicly," Mourinho explained. "I have to protect players and not open up too much about the reasons why this one plays and not the other.
"I understand it is your culture ... You are crying every week for me to play [midfielder] Irfan Kahveci [who came on as a substitute on Sunday] ... sometimes players that you think are phenomenal players, they are not. Sometimes they make critical mistakes that impact the team."
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