Xavi Espart, a 19-year-old Barcelona academy player, has finished his break and started preparing for the Under-19 European Championship. Spain will begin the tournament on June 28 with a match against the host nation, Wales.
The Spanish Football Federation announced Espart as a midfielder. Coach Paco Gallardo plans to deploy him as a defensive or central midfielder during the tournament. Espart is the only Barcelona player in the squad, with Quim Junyent still included but set to sign with Almería after his contract expires on June 30.
Spain will also face Denmark and Germany in the group stage. If they advance, the semifinals are scheduled for July 8 and the final for July 11. Barcelona will start preseason on July 13. Espart’s plan, depending on Spain’s progress and after consulting with the club, is to skip vacations and immediately join training with first-team coach Hansi Flick.
In the final part of the season, Hansi Flick gave Espart his debut at St James' Park against Newcastle and then minutes in five additional matches. In parallel, Espart also played regularly for Barça Atlètic when not needed by the first team. He will start preseason with the senior squad, and the club will soon decide on their right-back options, potentially promoting Espart depending on Jules Koundé’s future.
