Xavi Espart became the latest name to roll off the Barcelona production line on Tuesday night and Hansi Flick has already compared him to a German legend .
The teenager was thrown on in the closing stages of the 1-1 Champions League draw at Newcastle United , making his first team debut in the most intimidating of environments . And he loved every second.
THE LAHM COMPARISON
Flick has been raving about Espart since injuries to Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde opened a door. The Germany boss turned Barca manager knows a thing or two about full backs and he’s likened the 18 year old to Philipp Lahm .
That’s not just praise. That’s a statement.
THE DEBUT MOMENT
Espart wasn’t even sure he’d get on. Roony Bardghji was warming up. Then Ronald Araujo went down. Flick made them wait. Then came the shout.
“Flick had called Roony Bardghji over. They scored, and Ronald went down. Flick made us wait, and then suddenly he turned around and shouted, ‘Xavi!'” Espart recalled.
“I rushed off to get my things ready so I could go on. I couldn’t believe it. Once I came onto the pitch, I had a blast.”
St James’ Park. Champions League. Debut. And he had a blast.
THE INSTAGRAM MOMENT
Espart’s post afterwards was pure joy: “Very happy to be able to fulfill this dream, debut with the team of my life on @championsleague and on @fcbarcelona. Thank you so much to everyone who has been along this way.”
His team mates piled in. Marc Bernal wrote simply “Philipp” a direct nod to Flick’s comparison . Fermin Lopez posted “Congratulations crack”. Pau Cubarsi spoke glowingly post match: “Xavi and I have shared many moments together. He feels comfortable when he goes forward. He made a great defensive play that could have cost us a goal. He was excellent.”
THE ROAD HERE
It hasn’t been straightforward. Espart missed the start of the season with a knee injury , watching from the sidelines while others got their chances. Now Balde and Kounde are out, and he’s in.
“Having these teammates helps a lot; they’re my friends. Moving up here isn’t easy, but they give me confidence. I’ve always wanted to play for Barça, and I always will. It’s my goal. Step by step, I’ll give my all.”
WHAT NEXT
More minutes. Sunday against Sevilla, with injuries still biting, Espart could feature again . Flick trusts him. The team mates love him. The fans are excited.
Another one off the production line. Another teenager making dreams come true. And another comparison to an all time great.
Not bad for a first night at the office.
