Last Updated: October 23, 2023, 07:37 IST
Marc Guiu was additionally booked for an tried slide sort out. (AP Photo)
17-yr-previous Marc Guiu scored a minute after being launched by Xavi Hernandez.
Teenage debutant Marc Guiu snatched champions Barcelona a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao simply seconds after coming on from the bench on Sunday in La Liga, taking the Catalans as much as third.
Xavi’s Barca will face leaders Real Madrid subsequent Saturday in the Clasico only one level behind their bitter rivals, and second-positioned Girona, who beat Almeria 5-2 earlier on.
For a very long time it appeared like Barcelona wouldn’t discover the breakthrough towards their Basque guests however striker Guiu, 17, netted below a minute after being thrown on by Xavi.
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The ahead was slipped in by the silky Joao Felix and slotted previous Unai Simon, who acquired a hand to his shot however couldn’t hold it out.
Guiu grew to become the most recent on a conveyor belt of youths to make their debuts for Barca as their La Masia academy continues to provide gems.
“He’s been training with us for the whole season, it’s important that everone who comes brings something,” Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez advised DAZN.
“We’re happy for him, for the goal, and above all, for winning.”
Xavi began Martinez towards his former membership and 20-yr-previous Fermin Lopez on the left of the assault, one other academy product, with Barcelona all the way down to the naked bones.
Several common starters, together with key striker Robert Lewandowski, are out injured.
Felix clipped the highest of the crossbar with a shot from Ferran Torres’ minimize-again as Barcelona seemed to get began rapidly forward of a tough week.
The Catalans host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday earlier than welcoming rivals Madrid to Montjuic.
However the hosts had been negated by former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic, who took the sting out of the sport and infrequently sprang ahead with each Williams brothers threatening from the flanks.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen tipped over an Inaki Williams effort after which parried a strike from the Ghana worldwide, with Martinez producing a elegant block to disclaim his sibling Nico from the rebound.
Approaching the hour mark Barcelona carved out their greatest probability, when Simon brilliantly denied Lopez from shut vary, after initially saving from Felix’s low strike.
Another adopted when Felix fed substitute Lamine Yamal in the realm however the 16-yr-previous starlet dragged his shot broad of the close to publish.
The teenager’s arrival helped Barcelona achieve the higher hand and Joao Cancelo was the subsequent to attract a save from the watchful Simon.
Instant impression
Xavi introduced on Guiu in the 79th minute and together with his very first contact he broke into the realm after which with one other confidently fired previous Simon.
Full of power, the striker was quickly booked for an tried slide sort out which caught the goalkeeper as he tried to cease him clearing his traces, as he was roared on by the jubilant residence followers.
Barcelona’s victory takes them above Atletico Madrid, fourth, whereas Valverde’s Athletic are sixth.
“I’m annoyed because it went just past me and maybe I could have done a bit more,” Simon advised DAZN.
“We really wanted to get three points to make a big gap above seventh place.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – AFP)
