Marc Guiu scores his first goal for Barcelona against Athletic.Joan Valls (NurPhoto / Getty Images)
“Damn fair play.” The protest is repeated in the offices of the sports city of Barcelona: “It has conditioned us. For a large team that plays every three days, it is logical to have a squad with 21 field players and two or three goalkeepers. We are 17, plus Marc [Ter Stegen] and Iñaki Peña.” To balance the books, those in charge of the football department, first Mateu Alemany and then Deco, had to carry out a devastating restructuring in the first team: only five players – Sergi Roberto, Ter Stegen, Araujo, De Jong and Pedri – are left of the team 23 that was in the group of the 2020-2021 campaign when Joan Laporta returned to the presidency. “The cleaning was spectacular,” the coaching staff remembers. Payroll is budgeted at 496 million, compared to 631 million for the 2020-2021 academic year. The purge left Xavi no choice but to check out La Masia. “We all went up with great enthusiasm to take advantage of these difficult moments for the club,” emphasized Marc Guiu, 17 years old, the savior against Athletic, who scored a goal as soon as he entered the field that gave his team victory gave you victory on the day of your debut.
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There was a time when Barça boasted about their youth team. In 2012 they defeated Levante (0-4) with 11 players trained at La Masia: Valdés, Montoya (replaced Dani Alves in the 15th minute), Puyol, Piqué, Jordi Alba, Cesc Fàbregas, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and Pedro . In addition to the extraordinary talent that had come together at that time, there was a club with economic strength. In 2015, the year Barça won its last Champions League, the Blaugrana had five youth players: Ter Stegen, Alves, Mascherano, Rakitic, Luis Suárez and Neymar. La Masia continued to produce footballers at this time. The problem was that it was impossible to move these players from the starting eleven. Even a world champion like Pedro had to go to Chelsea because he was tired of playing the rubbish minutes that Messi, Suárez and Neymar had left him.
“Two things are happening today: financial need and a coach who believes. Mid-range players used to be signed, but not anymore. “This opens the door to local players,” explains an employee. In the same vein, the coaching staff adds: “We even had to sell players to ensure fair play. And for the sake of signing, we’d rather look down.” Since being on the bench, Xavi has given 13 homegrown players their debuts, none more surprising than Lamine Yamal, who has already made his debut and (against Georgia) for La Roja scored. “There is a generation of players that is brutal. We have been following them since we arrived,” said an employee. This throw is that of Cubarsi (2007, starter at Barça Atlètic), Marc Bernal (2007, youth B), Héctor Fort (2006, starter at Barça Atlètic), Pau Prim (2006, youth A, who alternates with the reserve team) , Dani Rodríguez (2005, Youth A and Affiliate) and Marc Guiu (2006, Youth A). All in the Rojita U17, except Rodríguez (U18). Everyone has already trained with the first team.
Guiu, a reference nine
The focus today is on Marc Guiu, the youth player who scored the fastest goal on his debut with the first team: 34 seconds. “He did the pre-junior tests and has already stayed. First in Football 7 and then in 11. He is not the typical Barcelona striker like Lamine, who is full on dribbling and full of talent. He is a child who is the typical reference 9. He is almost 1.80 meters tall and has a very good physique. Very fast, very accurate. He is right-handed but does well with his left leg. He is a player whose main characteristic is what he did against Athletic: going into space very well and finishing. He had scored this goal 50 times in youth football. “It’s fun to do it in the first team,” describes Jordi Roura, former quarry coordinator. “Looks very good. And it has a level. He knows when it’s time to play with the third man, when to attack the space. It can be a Barça number 9, a starter or a substitute “Certainly he has advanced his process due to the situation of the first team,” the coaching staff analyzes. For Xavi it is clear: With Lewandowski in the hospital, Guiu has a place in their small squad. And Barcelona will register him for tomorrow’s game against Shakhtar Donetsk .
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