Xavi Espart continued to catch the eye at Barcelona after a strong display in the opening match of the Spanish league against Elche. He proved he can fill more than one position effectively, a quality that led Hansi Flick to compare him earlier to the German legend Philipp Lahm.
Flick had praised Espart last March, saying he enjoys watching him play because of his great confidence on the ball. He noted that the youngster reminded him of Lahm, who was able to play in more than one position, whether in midfield or as a full-back.
Against Elche, Espart started at left-back, even though it is not one of his usual positions. He handled the task with great composure, provided an assist for Fermin Lopez, and delivered an impressive performance both defensively and offensively.
The young player completed 85% of his passes and won 7 ground duels out of 11. He also won 3 aerial duels, completed a successful dribble, made two tackles, two interceptions, 5 clearances and 6 ball recoveries, confirming that he does not need to play in his primary position to be influential.
Versatility like this gives Flick an important tactical solution. The German coach had already used Espart at right-back and in midfield during pre-season, before deploying him against Elche on the left after Alejandro Balde dropped out of his plans at the last moment.
His ability to adapt goes back to his years at Barcelona’s academy, where he played as a right-back and a midfielder. That grounding gave him a broad tactical understanding and the ability to read space and make the right decisions with and without the ball.
These very qualities appear to be what led Flick to place him in a special standing. He sees a player capable of providing solutions from more than one position, and not merely a conventional full-back. The German coach once said that Espart “knows what he has to do and is excellent with the ball”.
The 19-year-old made the most of pre-season, too. He chose to keep working and preparing for the new season after his triumph with the Spain national team in the European Under-19 Championship, and earned his reward with a start at the beginning of Barcelona’s league campaign.
Espart has become one of the most prominent rising talents at the club, amid a growing conviction that his value does not lie in a specific position. It lies in his ability to understand the demands of the game and provide added value wherever the coach places him.
Sports analyst Albert Blaya, writing in the newspaper “Sport”, perhaps summed it up best: “Espart is neither a full-back nor a midfielder, he is a footballer.” It is a quality in which Flick appears to have found a new tactical weapon within his line-up.