La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have this week rewarded young defender Xavi Espart for his ongoing emergence into the first-team fold in Catalunya’s capital.
This comes amid confirmation that the 19-year-old has been handed a new jersey number, to recognise his status as a permanent member of Hansi Flick’s Blaugrana squad.
Espart was for his part something of a surprise inclusion in Barcelona’s starting XI for the club’s opening fixture of the new campaign. After the reigning Spanish champions made the trip to Elche, the versatile starlet was made use of in an unfamiliar left-back berth.
Espart did not look at all out of place at the Estadio Martínez Valero, though, shining on the left just as he did on the right in limited minutes last season.
And such endeavours have evidently already proven sufficient to convince Hansi Flick and his staff of the Spaniard’s readiness to play a prominent role over the weeks and months ahead.
As per a statement across Barca’s social media platforms:
‘Player Xavi Espart has been registered as a first-team player and will wear jersey number 12.’
Conor Laird – GSFN
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