Marc Guiu: Veni, vidi, vici
If you saw this in a Hollywood movie you'd think it was unrealistic. A 17 year old called Marc Guiu comes on to make his FC Barcelona debut and within 23 seconds is scoring a superb goal to break a tight 0-0 deadlock and win three absolutely crucial points for the injury-hit team.
Guiu came on for Fermín López with just ten minutes to go in the game, and before he had even had time to get his bearings, João Félix's pass sent him straight through on goal. At just 17 years and 291 days, he became the youngest debutant ever to score for Barça.
Marc Guiu: 'I can't breathe'
Speaking after the game, Guiu said "I can't breathe. I'm just enjoying the moment, I'm still flying. I have been working hard all season to take any chances should they come. When I saw the goalkeeper coming off his line, I decided to shoot." Unai Simón had been brilliant all night, but not even he could stop the teenager from writing his name in lights in Barça folklore.
"Before going on, Xavi told me to just do the same as I do in the youth team. And to take any chances that came my way-" And that's exactly what he did!
Xavi: 'I like this player'
The manager himself said of Guiu after the game, "he can score goals, he has spark. He's a player I personally like a lot, and I have no qualms about using home-bred players, because we have loads of talent here. They put the same kind of trust in me in my day."
At Barça since U8
Marc Guiu was born on 4 January 2006 and has been at the club for a decade. It was in 2013/14 that he entered the U8 team and this year he has been playing with the U19s, making his Barça Atlètic debut just a few weeks ago on September 10 against Nàstic Tarragona. Until now, that was his only run-out for the second team, let alone the senior side in La Liga!
Guiu, an out-and-out centre forward, has been joining in senior team training sessions on a regular basis this season, and has scored five goals in five games for the U19s, and also netted once in the UEFA Youth League. So he clearly has it in him, although nobody could have predicted just what an immediate impact he was going to have playing at the very highest level.
One suspects that today was not the last we will be hearing of his name. Yet another amazing piece of talent has sprung out of la Masia!
