I clicked into the Showdown SBC as the matchday hype spiked and my coin stack felt suddenly fragile. You can sense the tick of opportunity — one pick could mean a steady upgrade path or a flashy attacking spark. I want to walk you through the trade-offs so you don’t panic-buy and regret it.
On FUTBIN the two SBCs list almost the same requirements — so the play starts with the tasks
Both Showdown items are priced similarly and demand familiar LaLiga squads. If you use FUTBIN or FUTWIZ to price squads, you’ll see the gap is minimal: availability, spare TOTW cards, and a single high-rated Europa/LaLiga slot decide the real cost.
Is Gavi or Nico easier to build for?
Gavi (FC Barcelona)
- Min. 1 Player from: FC Barcelona
- Min. 1 Player: Team of the Week
- Min. Team Rating: 86
- LaLiga squad: Min. 1 player from LALIGA EA SPORTS, Min. Team Rating: 87
Nico González (Atlético de Madrid)
- Min. 1 Player from: Atlético de Madrid
- Min. 1 Player: Team of the Week
- Min. Team Rating: 86
- LaLiga squad: Min. 1 player from LALIGA EA SPORTS, Min. Team Rating: 87
I scanned Twitter and Reddit threads and saw two camps forming — so the decision is partly preference, partly speculation
Here’s the blunt read: both cards are playable and cheap to assemble for most squads. If you want a stable option that slots into a midfield role and improves other players around him, Gavi is the safer award for value. If you want a punchy forward who can decide matches on a counter or set-piece, Nico is the gambler’s choice.
Which card plays better at CM or CAM?
I prefer Gavi in central midfield. He has the profile of a midfield Swiss army knife — versatile passing, strong short distribution, and two excellent playstyles: Tiki Taka and Pinged Pass. That makes him fluent in possession setups, and his passing numbers make linking play effortless in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.
Who benefits more if the Showdown winner gets an upgrade?
Nico is the headline candidate if Atlético are favored and win at home; his base item leans attacker-first, so a winner boost would push him toward a match-winning striker or winger option. Think of him as a coiled spring waiting to explode — high upside if the game goes his way.
Gavi’s path is different: an upgrade would turn an already useful 89-ish item into a midfield menace. If you play multiple modes or use the EA SPORTS Companion app to track upgrades and SBC evolutions, Gavi’s versatility makes him more reliably useful across Weekend League and Rivals.
Practical cost note: most players report roughly 50,000 FUT coins of squad fodder for either SBC on the current market, making this a low-risk rotation move for casual and semi-pro squads alike. Use FUTBIN to check real-time pricing against your club.
Final call from me: pick Gavi if you value week-to-week utility and safe upgrade potential. Pick Nico if you’re chasing volatile rewards and can stomach the gamble. Which camp are you in: Gavi’s steady midfield promise or Nico’s gambler’s payoff?