Hansi Flick is hopeful that Barcelona midfielder Gavi has avoided a repeat of the serious knee injuries he has suffered in the past, as the club await scan results.

Barca opened their LaLiga title defence with a dominant 5-0 win at Elche on Sunday, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring two goals apiece and Karim Adeyemi also netting on his competitive debut for the Blaugrana.

However, there was a concerning sight late in the first half, as Gavi was forced off in tears after going down and clutching his right knee.

Gavi's career has been plagued by knee issues, as he missed the second half of the 2023-24 season – as well as Spain's Euro 2024 triumph – after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

He was also absent between August and March last season after undergoing surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear in the same knee. 

Asked about Gavi's condition after Sunday's game, Flick said: "It's his knee. We have to wait. 

"It's a little better than he expected when he got injured. After the game he was much better. We will do an MRI and see."

Gavi was restricted to just 13 appearances in 2025-26, across all competitions, with eight of those being starts.

He played 42 games in 2024-25, albeit only 20 of those were starts, after his first major injury limited him to 15 outings in 2023-24.

Having made his senior debut for Barca in August 2021, Gavi made 76 starts across his first two seasons in their first team, but he has only made 42 since the end of 2022-23.

Despite Barca racking up the goals in their season-opening victory, Flick was asked if the club were looking to add a recognised number nine to their ranks, having so far failed to attract a like-for-like replacement for Robert Lewandowski following his move to the Chicago Fire.

Julian Alvarez – who was booed by Atletico Madrid's fans during their 2-2 draw with Villarreal on Sunday – continues to be linked with a move to Camp Nou, with just a week to go in the transfer window.

"We'll have to talk to [sporting director] Deco, and we have to do what's best next week," Flick said. 

"We are happy with the fantastic start we have had, it gives us confidence. I'm happy with the 5-0 and the three points."