He had to be a youth player. Arrive, debut and kiss the saint. No one knows this expression better than the youthful Marc Guiu (Santa Maria de Palautordera, 2006). The 17-year-old striker who convinced Xavi without barely passing by Rafa Márquez at Barça Atlètic, yesterday showed why in front of his fans. He only needed 23 seconds. He entered in the 80th minute with a desperate 0-0 on the scoreboard. He unmarked himself, raised his head, João Félix saw him, trusted and Guiu resolved by finishing with his right foot on his first play against a stunned Unai Simón. “It made me very angry. It was one against one. Even though they are youth players, they are decisive and I am sure they will do very well,” predicted the Athletic goalkeeper. “I saw that Unai Simón came out and I took advantage. “It was a very quick action, without thinking, by intuition,” Guiu responded.
The last time a youth player arrived and scored on his debut was in the 2014-2015 season and had the signature of Munir. In his case, he needed 22 minutes. It has rained a lot. And Barcelona, which had stagnated against Athletic Club, undoubtedly needed someone like that. To the surprise ingredient of him. And Montjuïc, somewhat soulless and experiencing for the first time the temperature that comes with playing on an autumn Sunday at 9 p.m., received a dream debut with warmth, joy and enthusiasm. The atmosphere suddenly heated up.
Marc Guiu finished the game lying on the ground, covering his eyes. Assimilating what happened. He asked Iñaki Williams for the shirt but he kept his. His goal puts Barça one point behind Real Madrid one week before the classic.
The story has crumbs. Guiu arrived at Barça when he was 11, in the 2012-2013 season, when he was a junior. He lacked technique, but he had an imposing physique. He went up without making a sound but it didn't go unnoticed either. And always, in all categories, he responded to the profile of the '9' who goes out, enjoys and moves like a fish in water. International in all the lower categories of the Spanish team, like any good youth player, he doesn't care about the stage.
If Lamine Yamal (16) and Fermín López (20) have something since this season, or Balde and Gavi since two years ago, it is that they do not fear anything or anyone. They have been looking for that opportunity all their lives. And they have come across a technician who knows this entire process better than anyone. “I'm surprised they're not scared. They look at me with a spark and a desire… you know they are ready for that,” said Xavi. “The coach has told me that if I have an opportunity, to take advantage of it,” confessed the youth player, who still has cards to show. His great specialty has always been the header. “He has a spark,” Xavi insisted.
Guiu's start to the season with the Juvenil A is being full, with seven goals in his locker. He made his debut in the Nàstic field in the Primera RFEF with Rafa Márquez and was not a starter. He didn't score. He made his debut earlier with the first team in his second call-up. "I dont believe it. I'm out of breath. I've been waiting for this my whole life. You have to take advantage of opportunities and I think I have achieved it,” he said. And he ended up sending an even more exciting message. “La Masia works. "You have to take advantage of the youth team when the club is going through difficult times." And Guiu left with the phone vibrating in his hands and a “I'm not going to sleep today.”
