Xavi Espart names Barcelona player who impresses him most: ‘Best attacking abilities’
Barcelona's 19-year-old defender Xavi Espart has praised teammate Joao Cancelo for his exceptional attacking abilities. Espart, who has recently broken into the first team, noted that Cancelo's versatility serves as an inspiration for his own development.
Why it matters
This highlights the tactical evolution of young players in elite football and the influence of veteran role models on emerging talent.
Xavi Espart has barely had time to process his own rise at Barcelona .
The 19-year-old entered the summer as a promising La Masia player and emerged from pre-season as a genuine first-team option .
He has since started Barcelona's first five La Liga matches, with Hansi Flick trusting him at left-back despite Espart being right-footed and originally developing as a midfielder.
During an interview with TVE (h/t Mundo Deportivo ), Espart says that he is not taking the opportunity for granted.
"Pre-season went very well and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in the first team and to play.
"I'm really enjoying it, I've prepared myself to be there and I hope I can play many more minutes," he began.
Notably, Espart's versatility has been one of the defining features of the breakthrough.
Xavi Espart is quite impressed with Joao Cancelo . (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
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