Barcelona fans have a new hero after 17-year-old Marc Guiu took all of 23 seconds to score his first goal for the club in his first game for the club, with just his second touch.
With Robert Lewandowski injured, Xavi Hernandez was forced to use Ferran Torres through the middle against Athletic Club on Sunday night, and did not have a natural number nine replacement on the bench from the senior side. With 10 minutes to go, Xavi threw on Guiu, and the rest is history.
“Joao Felix controlled the ball, I saw that there was space behind the defence, he gave it to me and I managed to get past Unai Simon coming out. It is an honour to have scored a goal against a goalkeeper of his level.”
Marc Guiu is here to stay
🔥pic.twitter.com/XtWsT0vNj7— Young (@SadiqIsOnX) October 22, 2023
Guiu is just the latest off the production line at Barcelona, and after the match, he asked the club to continue trusting the youngsters.
“La Masia works. A great job is being done and we have to take advantage of it in difficult times for the club like now. I tell the youth team to keep working, because everyone really wants to get here.”
Marc Guiu: "It's a dream that sometimes you don't even dream of." pic.twitter.com/FZoEqVingc
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 23, 2023
Between that and trying to come to terms with what had just happened.
“I can’t believe it. I’m struggling to breath. Enjoying the moment. You can’t imagine this, but I’ve been working all my life to take advantage of opportunities and it’s come to me. Inigo [Martinez] told me that I won’t be able to sleep today, but that I should enjoy it,” he told Sport.
Guiu is yet to even become a regular for the Barca Atletic side, appearing for just eight minutes last season, but spending most of his time with the under-19 team.
Way to go, Marc Guiu! pic.twitter.com/tWNRIgyAlC
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 22, 2023
“Xavi tells me to work, that opportunities will come. He told me that I would have a chance and that’s what happened.”
It’s hard to contemplate just how it would feel to be Guiu and as his comments suggest, he too is likely to be struggling to process it all. His family’s reaction was also caught at Montjuic in the stands, as they watched on. Joao Cancelo’s congratulations were a little more mundane on the other hand.
