Xavi will be unable to count on Barcelona teenage forward next month – report

Marc Guiu is the name doing the rounds in Catalonia after Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Athletic Club last night.

The youngster came on as a late substitute to make his debut for the senior team and scored with just his second touch at Estadio Olimpic de Lluis Companys.

As a result, Guiu has risen into instant stardom. His social media handles have been flooded with visits from new followers, and he is being hailed as the next big thing from Barcelona’s La Masia.

Xavi cannot count on Guiu next month

The teenage phenom is one of the Barcelona academy’s best homegrown centre-forward talents.

While he is known for his sharp finishing skills, Guiu has all the attributes required of a Barcelona forward.

Xavi Hernandez called on the youngster last night because of an acute shortage of options in the department. After all, Robert Lewandowski is injured and the manager has no like-for-like replacement for the Pole.

Lewandowski could return in time for Barcelona’s next league clash against Real Madrid.

Yet, should he continue to be unavailable for any unforeseen reason next month, Mundo Deportivo reveal that Xavi will be unable to count on Guiu.

Enroute Indonesia

This is because it is expected that the youngster will be called up by the Spanish national team to participate in the upcoming FIFA Under-17 World Cup next month.

He will thus be travelling to Indonesia from the 10th of November and could be unavailable until December 2nd, if Spain go all the way.

Guiu, in fact, will not be the only Barcelona youngster missing in that period. At least six players from Barça Atletic and the Juvenil team, the report adds, are likely to make the trip to Asia for the event.

Noah Darvich, Juan Fernandez, Pau Prim, Pau Cubarsi, Hector Fort, and Marc Bernal are the players expected to join Guiu on international duty.

Considering that the event is on the FIFA calendar, they will have to participate at the cost of missing club action.

For the time being, Barcelona are working hard to get Guiu registered in time to face Shakhtar Donetsk in the UCL later this week.