Barcelona recorded their first La Liga win of the season with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Cadiz, and there was plenty of food for thought for Xavi.
Late goals from Pedri and Ferran Torres saw Barcelona claim all three points in what was a difficult game at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.
Marc Andre Ter Stegen had to be at his best to stop Cadiz from scoring, whilst youngster Lamine Yamal was unlucky not to find the back of the net.
Xavi was without winger Raphinha, with the Brazilian suspended following his red card last week, and he gave 16-year-old Yamal a surprise start.
Whilst the youngster did well, another player has made the case to start against Villarreal on Sunday, as Ferran Torres delivered an outstanding cameo off the bench which culminated in him scoring the second goal.
Ferran deserves to start
So far this season, Xavi has opted for an approach which has seen at least four central-minded midfielders start in Oriol Romeu, Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri and Frenkie De Jong, alongside one winger and Robert Lewandowski upfront.
Ferran was excellent in pre-season, and his cameo yesterday showed that he is sharp in front of goal and ready to deliver from the start.
The 23-year-old, who Xavi once described as “spectacular,” can play anywhere across the front line, and Xavi should consider him either as a left-winger, switching from his four centre-mid system, or on the right as a more experienced option than Yamal.
The Villarreal game on Sunday will be a tough test, and having a forward in good form like Ferran could make a huge difference to increase the team’s output as a whole.
Barcelona had 10 shots on target against Cadiz, and if they create chances at a similar rate with Ferran in the side, he could help the team score more as a more clinical option in the box.