It took teenager Marc Guiu just 23 seconds to make history for Barcelona as he scored on his debut in the team’s 1-0 win against Athletic Bilbao.
Guiu was brought on as a second-half substitute and made an instant impact, put through on goal by João Félix before firing a shot past Unai Simón. At the age of 17 years and 291 days, it made him the youngest player to score on debut for Barcelona.
“I can’t breathe. I’m just enjoying the moment, I’m still flying,” Guiu said after the match. “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.”
Simón had been excellent for Bilbao up to that point, keeping the scores level with several sharp saves. He denied Fermín López with his feet early in the first half and produced a superb double save midway through the second half as Félix and López searched for the game’s opening goal.
Félix had grazed the top of the bar at the start of the match, while 16-year-old Lamine Yamal also missed a good chance to put Barcelona ahead. But with 10 minutes remaining, it was another teenager who ensured victory for the home side, Guiu’s effort deflecting off Simón’s palm and bouncing into the back of the net.
The striker has been with Barcelona for 10 years having risen through the ranks of La Masia – the club’s famed academy – and has scored five goals in five games for the under-19 team this season. Manager Xavi, himself a product of Barcelona’s academy, has been comfortable promoting young players to the first team during his time in charge.
Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal has also made a big impression this year, becoming the youngest player to appear in a competitive fixture for Barcelona in April and scoring his first league goal earlier this month.
“He [Guiu] is a player I personally like a lot, and I have no qualms about using home-bred players, because we have loads of talent here,” Xavi said, per the club’s website. “They put the same kind of trust in me in my day.”
The win means Barcelona remains in touching distance with the top of La Liga, one point behind Real Madrid and Girona after 10 games. It next faces Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stages of the Champions League on Wednesday.
— CutC by cnn.com
