Despite the lengthy injury list, Xavi and Barcelona are working to ensure they remain competitive. A win over Athletic Bilbao was considered crucial, and that is exactly what this Barcelona side delivered. The finishing blow came at the hands of a 17-year-old Marc Guiu, a youngster that Xavi himself put his faith in.
With the current casualties including the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in attack, depth had to be added through the subsidiary players. However, it now seems that Xavi will not be able to count on his latest Barcelona revelation through most of next month.
U-17 World Cup preparations
According to SPORT, the 17-year-old striker will soon have to leave Barcelona and head over to the U-17 Spanish National team camp. This is in light of the upcoming U-17 FIFA World Cup set to take place in Indonesia.
Scheduled to take off on the 10th of November and conclude in December, the tournament could take away several subsidiary players from Barcelona.
Marc Guiu is already a definite, given that he remains one of the most prolific players for the U-17 team. However, he will not be joined by his typical partner in crime, Lamine Yamal. This is because the 16-year-old winger is already part of the Spanish National team itself.
Xavi’s approval
Xavi has also reportedly given his approval to take Guiu away to Indonesia. Having played the U-20 World Cup himself when he was younger, he considers that tournaments like these help develop players to a greater degree in their younger years.
However, during this time that he is away, Barcelona will not suffer too much. Most of the injured players are expected to recover and be available again in November, providing Xavi with his key players at his disposal.. Moreover, for the upcoming clash against Shakhtar and Real Madrid, Marc Guiu will still be available.
