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Sunday night’s La Liga match between Barcelona and Athletic Club required a lot of work from the hosts. At Estadio Olimpico Lluis Companys, Xavi Hernandez’s reigning champions needed a goal from substitute Marc Guiu in the final ten minutes to secure the three points on home soil. With the win, Barcelona is now just one point behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Unheralded rookie Marc Guiu gave Barcelona the lead with his very first touch in the match, and they fought hard to win 1-0 over Athletic Club.
With 11 minutes remaining in normal time against Athletic, the 17-year-old came off the bench and was sent through right away after making a fantastic move down the inside-left channel.
And after taking a touch to position himself, the towering centre striker beat Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon with a beautiful finish to kick off joyful celebrations in Barcelona. Between Guiu’s entrance on the pitch and his goal, there were only thirty seconds.
The youthful player, who had only made two complete appearances for Barcelona B before, was an unexpected addition to the bench for the game.
On a night when opportunities went begging for both teams, the gifted Spain Under-17 international’s flash of brilliance proved to be the distinguishing factor.
With the Clasico scheduled for next weekend, Xavi’s team is now one point off the top of La Liga following their victory.\
Speaking Point: The Birth of a Star
Marc Guiu, do you recall the name? It is reasonable to argue that the majority of spectators didn’t anticipate Guiu to enter the game, much less make a significant impact. But after a game in which both teams missed opportunities in an intriguing tactical match, Xavi resorted to the young player. And it was a brilliant move to call on Guiu.
Marc Guiu was the match’s MVP.
Both goalkeepers performed admirably that evening, making a number of good stops to keep the score tied until the last fifteen minutes of play.
However, the night won’t be remembered for either starting front three’s deft movements or outstanding saves. Guiu owns this game, and he gets all the praise for the calibre of his run and finish.
Scores for Players
Barcelona: Ter Stegen 8; Cancelo 6, Christensen 6, I.Martínez 6, Balde 7; Gavi 7, Romeu 6, Gündogan 6; Fermín 6, Ferrán 7, Félix 7. Subs: Yamal 6, Araujo 7, Guiu 9, Alonso 7
Athletic Club: Simón 8; De Marcos 7, Vivian 7, Paredes 7, Yuri 6; Herrera 6, D.García 6; Williams 7, Sancet 6, Williams Jr 8; Guruzeta 6. Subs: Lekue 7, Prados 6, Adu 6, Berenguer 6, Gomez 6
Highlights of the Match
79’ SUBS
As Barcelona makes some changes, it’s time for some more substitutions. Alonso and the imposing young Guiu arrive to take the place of Fermin Lopez and Balde.
80’ GOAL!
What a difference! Guiu breaks the tie with his first touches in Barcelona colours after receiving the ball in the inside-left channel and putting a shot past Simon who was approaching. For the 17-year-old, what a moment. Amazing!
- Barcelona has now won all eight of their La Liga encounters with Athletic.
- Guiu’s strike makes him the youngest player to score on a Barcelona debut in more than 23 years.
