Barcelona's issues off the pitch this season seem to never end, although one of the latest ones does seem to have a fairly easy solution, with both Gavi and Nico expected to have first-team contracts by January. LaLiga Santander rules state that there must be seven first-team players on the field in each domestic game, but Los Cules have found this difficult to do with the number of injuries of late. These injuries have increased the use of La Masia graduates, and Xavi has found it difficult to put together a starting XI which has seven senior starters in it. The sporting department at the Camp Nou believes they have found a solution to the problem, and that is promoting Nico and Gavi to first-team contracts, so they count towards the seven senior players needing to be utilised by Xavi. It is something that was going to happen anyway with both midfielders fully part of the first-team dynamic at Barcelona in 2021/22, and they usually play as starters, so this would just mean they could be played in the same line-up as Abde Ezzalzouli, Ferran Jutgla and Alejandro Balde.
