“UCL: Cancelo Hails Teammate as the Heart and Soul of Barcelona!”

Barcelona’s defender, João Cancelo, has identified his teammate Gavi as the essence of the Blaugrana.

Cancelo expressed his thoughts during a press conference prior to Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

He characterized the Spanish midfielder as an upbeat individual who inspires Barcelona players to elevate their intensity.

“Gavi is the heart of the squad,” Cancelo stated as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

“Everything he does, in both training and matches. He’s an incredibly positive individual who challenges you during practice, and ultimately, that encourages all of us to raise our intensity.”

Gavi became a part of Barcelona’s youth academy in 2015 after transferring from Betis. The 21-year-old advanced to Barcelona’s senior team in 2021.