Who is Barca's Marc Guiu? A goalscorer in the shadows

A regular in Spain's youth teams, Marc Guiu is an unusual centre-forward in Barça's youth teams. We are not dealing with the classic mobile striker with a tendency to drop to the flanks or down to the centre of the pitch. 

Guiu responds to the profile of the traditional No 9, who lives like a fish in water in the area. Guiu has gone in a few months from playing with the Juvenil B to making his debut in the First Division. 

His start to the season with the Juvenil A has been fantastic. In addition to scoring five goals for Óscar López's side, the player from Sant Celoni made his debut against Nàstic in the First RFEF and now he could make his debut in Granada with the first team. Marc Guiu is right-footed and has no problem shooting with his left foot, a leg he also has a perfect command of. 

Marc Guiu came to Barça as a pre-benjamin, he played in the Sant Celoni Barca fan club team before. His first season in Barça's youth team was in the 2013-14 season. 

That prebenjamín, which was coached by current Cadete B coach David Sánchez, was full of great talents. Alexis Olmedo, Pau Prim, Héctor Fort and Arnau Pradas were some of his most outstanding teammates. Today, all of them are still at the club. The 2006 generation is one of the most brilliant of recent years. Pradas has always had an exquisite left foot, Pau Prim shines with stellar vision, while Alexis and Fort are two defenders who impress in all phases of the game. 

That is why Marc Guiu has been climbing up the ranks, scoring goals and progressing season after season, but he has never been one of the players most tipped to one day make it to the Camp Nou. 

Where some stand out for their natural talent, Marc Guiu is an example of effort, sacrifice and physical waste that is not as showy as some of his teammates, but his character has allowed him to grow until he has earned the opportunity to be called up to the first team. 

Happy for him

SPORT has contacted Ivan Carrasco, one of the coaches who has recently trained Guiu in Barça's youth system. 

Carrasco coached him in the 2021-22 season with Cadete A and reacted to Xavi's call-up as follows: "I was very happy for Marc, he deserves it because he is a ten as a person. He's a sensational boy, a hard worker, an example as a team-mate for his effort and dedication". 

In addition to his human value, Iván Carrasco defines Marc Guiu as a footballer: "He is a pure centre forward, a classic '9', a specialist in the area who lives from his physical power. His best virtue is his aerial play. Marc is also very quick and powerful, he is unstoppable with space. 

"He is not a striker who can drop to the flanks or stands out for his combination play but he is aware of his strengths and limitations and knows how to focus on his strengths and hide his flaws. 

"Another of his virtues is his great ability to fight for every ball and press like an animal, defenders are not comfortable with such a hard-working striker profile".