Xavi: 'No fear in faces' of Barca teens like Guiu

The introductory performance of Marc Guiu has been a savior for Barcelona, which could be described as a 'fairy tale' in nature.

Shaka Hislop and Julien Laurens have shared their thoughts on Barcelona's recent victory against Athletic Club, which was secured in the final moments of the game with the help of 17-year-old Marc Guiu.

On the evening of October 22, 2023, at 11:35 PM, this blog was written.

On Sunday, Barcelona's coach Xavi Hernandez spoke highly of Marc Guiu for his courageous performance in his debut by scoring the sole goal of the game against Athletic Bilbao. Guiu is only 17 years old and had come on as a substitute.

With a little over 10 minutes remaining in the game at the Olympic Stadium, Guiu made his introduction. He managed to score the winning goal just 33 seconds later, thanks to a pass from João Félix. This gave Barca a slim 1-0 lead and secured their victory.

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During a recent press conference, Xavi expressed his appreciation for Marc, a young athlete from the academy who stood out in the game. He continued on to express his satisfaction with the team's three-point victory, which holds significant importance.

During that moment, he came to my mind because he is someone who can score goals and has a charismatic personality, which is why I like him. I don't face any concern when it comes to evaluating our internal resources - on the contrary, I want to imbue our team members with the same confidence that I possessed when I was their age, around 17 or 18.

Guiu is a newly rising star from Barcelona's academy, who has already made a strong impression on the first team.

Lamine Yamal (aged 16) and Fermín Lopez (aged 20) have successfully made their mark this season by scoring important goals in matches against Mallorca and Granada. Their efforts helped their team make a remarkable comeback.

At 19 and 20 years old respectively, Gavi and Alejandro Balde have secured their positions as consistent members of Barcelona's primary squad.

Xavi shared his observation about the current generation of Barça's young players. He expressed surprise at their fearlessness, which was not the case during his time. These youngsters possess an undeniable passion and enthusiasm that Xavi recognizes. Whenever he interacts with them, he sees a determination in their eyes that says, "I'm ready for this challenge, give me a chance to shine." And indeed, these youngsters have proven their readiness and displayed traits of courage and strength when given the opportunity to play.

I witnessed it in Gavi, Balde, Lamine, Fermín, and even in Marc. His countenance displayed no traces of fear.

I informed him that he'd only have a single shot. He was granted a single opportunity and he seized it. I had a sense that he was prepared. I am thrilled for Marc, who is a diligent young man.

"To achieve a goal with his initial hits is remarkable. I just gave him my best wishes and you can visualize how ecstatic he must be feeling. This could potentially be the most memorable day of his life."

Guiu, a member of the club's academy since 2013 and a player for the Spanish U17 team, savored the experience.

"I'm in disbelief," he informed the press. "I'm relishing this moment. It's something that I never thought would happen. I've put in my entire life's work to achieve this, seizing every chance that came my way, and... I doubt I'll be able to get any sleep tonight."

"I have had such thoughts numerous times, almost every night. I feel a great sense of accomplishment. The whole thing occurred swiftly, leaving me with barely any time to ponder. It was all due to my gut feeling."

Guiu got his opportunity due to the injuries among the Barcelona squad. Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Jules Koundé, Raphinha, and Sergi Roberto were all unable to play in the match against Athletic.

Xavi expressed that both Kounde and Roberto won't be able to make it back for the upcoming home matches against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League and Real Madrid in LaLiga. However, the situation with the other player is uncertain, and we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Before the match on Saturday between Barça and Real Madrid, Barça is currently behind by only one point. Real Madrid is tied with Girona for the top position in the league.