Gavi is not a guaranteed starter for Barcelona this season, but he still enjoys the full trust of coach Hansi Flick, who backs him and builds him into his plans. The Andalusian, meanwhile, keeps working to earn as many minutes as he can amid fierce competition for places.
Speaking to "Men's Health" magazine, the 22-year-old reflected on his situation at Barcelona and how his relationship with pressure has changed since his early days. "Now there is much greater pressure than there was when I was 17 years old. At that time I did not realise where I was. The younger I was, the more I enjoyed football," he said.
Young as he is, Gavi has already weathered plenty of hardship. The injuries that sidelined him for long spells stand out, yet he believes that period taught him patience and maturity.
"Perhaps I was not patient in the past, but now I am more patient," the Barcelona man said. "When I was injured, I had to complete the stages and set goals. It was also useful for me to learn other things beyond football. Now I can say that I take care of myself much better than I did when I started my professional career."
Gavi talks about his knee
Even when he is not starting, Gavi insists he must still protect the knee that cost him almost an entire season. There is no room to slack off.
"My knee must always be strong, whether I play or not," he explained. "I cannot be lax because the injury could happen at any moment."
His family, he says, carried him through the injury. "I isolated myself with my family, and that helped me a lot."
Gavi praises Lamine Yamal
Gavi also reserved special praise for team-mate Lamine Yamal, insisting the youngster's talent shines brightest not in matches but on the training ground.
"This player is very skilful on the pitch, but he surprises you even more in training," he said. "I only hope he keeps developing. He is aware of his abilities. He can be among the best of all time."
"I see him as mentally strong, and that is the most important thing in the end," he added. "He knows what he wants, and he still has a long football future ahead of him. He must continue in this way every day, because the present is the most important thing, and everyone will be watching him closely every day."