Luis de la Fuente unconcerned by Gavi’s yellow card record

Barcelona star Gavi will pick up his 25th Spain cap tonight as La Roja aim for a Euro 2024 qualifying win in Norway.

Victory in Oslo would guarantee Spain’s place at the competition next summer, alongside Scotland, but a draw or defeat would stretch the qualification process to November.

Gavi is expected to retain his place in Luis de la Fuente’s midfield in this tie after completing 90 minutes in the 2-0 midweek win over Scotland in Sevilla.

The 19-year-old has started four of Spain’s five qualifiers so far in 2023 and he is a key member of de la Fuente’s squad as they push for qualification.

However, his impressive rise for club and country has brought with it a reputation for overzealous tackling and fouls, which has seen him rack up an unwanted yellow card record.

In his first campaign in the Barcelona first team, in 2021/22, he amassed 16 yellow cards, including a double caution, which resulted in a red card.

That dropped to 15 in 2022/23, plus three in three games for Spain, with six already in 2023/24, including another second booking being turned into a dismissal in the 1-0 Champions League win over Porto.

Gavi is now a marked man by officials, certainly at club level, but de la Fuente is confident it is not an issue for the national team.

“Gavi’s card ratio with the National Team is low, with us they have only shown him one, in qualifying”, as per Mundo Deportivo.

“Gavi’s energy infects the team, but it’s true he must learn to control himself, although with us he does. We are very calm and delighted with what Gavi gives us.”