The stuff of dreams! Who is Marc Guiu, the boy who saved Barca after just 23 seconds of his debut?

Barcelona were struggling to break down Athletic Club on Sunday night but head coach Xavi had a secret weapon ready on the bench. Young Marc Guiu, a boy of 17 years, came on to make his competitive debut and scored the winning goal with his first touch - only 23 seconds after stepping on the pitch.

Guiu replaced another young player, Fermin Lopez, with only ten minutes left in the game. Almost immediately, he received a precise pass from Joao Felix, which allowed him to break through and have a clear opportunity on goal. Remarkably, at the tender age of 17 years and 291 days, Guiu became the youngest debutant in Barcelona's history to score a goal. It's a goal worth three points for the team but also a lifetime of memories for Guiu.

"I can't breathe. I'm just enjoying the moment. I'm still flying. I have been working hard all season to take any chances should they come. I decided to shoot when I saw the goalkeeper Unai Simon coming off his line. Before coming on, Xavi told me to just do the same as I do in the youth team. And to take any chances that came my way."

It's what every boy coming through the club academy dreams of. Not just at Barcelona, but in any country, at any level. But where did this kid come from?

Marc Guiu is not entirely a newcomer to Xavi Hernandez's team. Despite being born on 4 January 2006, nearly two years after Lionel Messi made his Barcelona debut, the centre-forward of the Juvenil A team made his first-team debut in June in the friendly with Vissel Kobe. Although it wasn't an official match, it added to his experience. He played the entire second half, coming on for Robert Lewandowski, and came close to scoring with a great header from a corner kick. Xavi was already impressed.

"Marc can score goals, he has that spark. He's a player I personally like a lot, and I have no qualms about using home-bred players because we have loads of talent here. They put the same kind of trust in me in my day."

The young striker from Granollers, a town 30 kilometres north-east of Barcelona, has been a member of FC Barcelona's youth setup since the age of seven. He developed at the famed La Masia and quickly became "the one to watch", as club decision-makers loved what they saw. Former Barca midfielder, now director of football, Deco, a keen observer of international football, already had Guiu on his radar as the most promising number nine even before taking up the role. He had seen him in Barcelona's youth system and also in the Spanish U-17 national team, which reached the semi-finals of the European Championship earlier this year. While the focus was on Lamine Yamal, Guiu also scored four goals in the final stages of the tournament, and the top scorer title was shared between the two Barcelona players and two others. Guiu's seven goals in eight games included three in the group stage.

Barca's new gem is a tall and strong player already. He's 187 centimetres tall, powerful and fast, with a strong right foot and good heading ability. He has already made appearances for Barcelona B this season and has scored five goals with the Juvenil A team (the Under-19s), including four in the league and one in the Youth League.

Catching up with the archrivals - Barca are just one point behind

Once upon a time, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Puyol and many more were just talented kids who were given chances to shine. Marc Guiu is following in their footsteps.