Sergi Domínguez will never forget 31 August 2024. The La Masia graduate came on at centre back for the last half of FC Barcelona's tremendous 7-goal rout of Real Valladolid, thus becoming the fourth new player to be introduced by Hansi Flick in as many games of La Liga 2024/25.
With the team already 3-0 up when he came on, it was an ideal low-pressure scenario to get his first taste of senior football, in which he helped to maintain the clean sheet as the forwards added a further four goals to the day's amazing tally. It all came as a fabulous reward for the 19-year-old who has risen up through the club's youth ranks since joining from Sant Gabriel in 2017.
Last season he amassed 20 appearances for Barça Atlètic, and another three in the UEFA Youth League. Now, after spending the whole preseason working under Flick, he got to play his first competitive game, while three other youngsters got their first outing on the first day at Mestalla, namely Marc Bernal, Gerard Martín and Pau Víctor.