Fermín López scored the winning goal in Barcelona’s La Liga season finale against Sevilla, and his celebration was notable as the young midfielder found his departing manager on the sidelines and gave him a big hug, offering Xavi Hernández his own personal goodbye.
Fermín exploded onto the scene this season, going from a relatively unknown quantity in preseason to finishing the campaign as an undisputed starter, scoring several key goals and earning a spot in Spain’s squad for Euro 2024.
The 21-year-old was asked after the game why he celebrated his final goal of the season with his now former manager, and Fermín revelaed it was a gesture of gratitude for Xavi giving him a chance to fulfill his Barça dream this season.
Regardless of what you think of Xavi as a coach, his impact on Barça’s talented youngsters is undeniable. The coach gave dozens of academy graduates a real chance to play for the first team, and the likes of Fermín, Pau Cubarsí, Héctor Fort and Lamine Yamal look set for long careers at Camp Nou thanks in large part to the opportunity given to them by Xavi.
It remains to be seen if soon-to-be new manager Hansi Flick will be as willing to use the youngsters as Xavi was, but they’ve already proven they are good enough to play in a Barça shirt for any coach.
