Who is Fermin Lopez? The surprise star of Barcelona's preseason tour

The Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the AT&T stadium in Dallas saw the emergence of Fermin López, a 20-year-old midfielder who scored a great goal from outside the box to make it 2-0, repaying the confidence that Xavi Hernández has placed in him during preseason.

The youngster from La Masia is the player who has most impressed the coach and his teammates this summer and that allowed him to form part of the midfield in the second half against Madrid. 

In the two line-ups that Xavi Hernández put together for the friendly against Arsenal, one for each half, there was only one youth player: Fermín López. The Barcelona coach then rewarded the Andalusian player's surprising start to the pre-season by giving him half an hour's playing time against Madrid as well.

Fermín came on again in the second half and did not waste his minutes. After receiving a pass near the edge of the area, the home-grown player struck the ball with overwhelming power, sending the ball into the corner of Courtois' net. The goal, beyond its beauty, meant a 2-0 win for Xavi's side.

Not content with this, he was also involved in Barça's third and final goal. Fermín made a run in the attacking half and sent an excellent pass towards Ferran Torres, serving him the 3-0 on a plate. The pass was millimetric so that the striker could elude Courtois with a 'sombrero' and put the ball in the net. 

Fermin joined Barça in 2018 from Real Betis aged 15. Already this summer, when Barça started training sessions prior to the tour, he left a good image and was liked by Xavi, who took the decision to take him to the United States, a bet that already has its fruits.

The youngster was on loan at Linares last season, where he scored 12 goals and provided another four assists in 40 games played. His talent and cheek did not go unnoticed by Barça. 

Opportunities in a club as big as Barça are scarce, so the youngest have to take advantage of all their minutes to make their case to stay. Fermín seems determined to convince Xavi and after his stellar goal in the Clásico, it would not be surprising to see more time on the pitch in future games. 

The club's patience in waiting for his explosion and the decision a year ago to loan him out have been key to him facing an exciting season. Starting with the first team is a prize, but his real objective is to earn a starting place under Rafa Márquez with Barça Atlètic.