Marc Guiu: Is Barcelona's new teenage hero cut out to build on his dream debut?

The 17-year-old netted the winner on his debut just seconds after coming off the bench, but is not the archetypal graduate from La Masia

Spanish publication Sporthas called him «a striker in the shadows.» A former coach admitted he was «unstoppable with space.» But now, Marc Guiu is a Barcelona cult hero, a 17-year-old who salvaged a result for his side within seconds of emerging into their conciousness and could yet become a crucial part of the Blaugrana set-up for years to come.

Guiu wasted little time in introducing himself to the world on Sunday. Around 23 seconds, in fact. Where Ferran Torres and Joao Felix had failed, he succeeded,darting in behind the Athletic Club defence, taking one touch, before steering his shot off the leg of Unai Simon and into the net.

It was a goal that demonstrated everything Guiu is about. He is a player unlike modern La Liga strikers, an archetype that Spanish football rarely churns out. Guiu is strong, fast and direct, a physically gifted and ruthless No.9. This is not a link-up striker or false nine. Rather, Guiu is a potentially game-changing goalscorer — something he showed in his Barca debut.

But where did he come from? And how did La Masia, famed for cultivating technical players, develop a throwback striker such as he? GOAL takes a look into a potentially ruthless No.9...