What Jordi Roura saw in Marc Guiu when he was 7 years old

Jordi Roura (Girona, 1967) know very well Marc Guiu. As Barça’s former director of youth football, sharing responsibilities with Aureli Altimira, the coach followed and contributed to the emergence of generations of footballers. The forward from Santa María de Palautordera is the most recent and sudden phenomenon: “score This is proof that the job was done well. Football 7 recruitment is the key.” And he said: “Players like him saved the club’s situation” in times of economic turmoil. “And there will be more to come,” he predicted.

Roura is of origin. remember that Marc Guiu He arrived at Barça at the pre-child stage at the age of 7 from Penya Barcelonista de Sant Celoni, after good reports from scouting reached the club. “It’s a bit of a story Lamine Yamal. You play him in test matches, not minutes, and you see some details in him. “It’s that easy, it’s hard,” he reveals. Roura. What details? Natural things, focusing on ball control, a couple of dribbles… and bets.” In the case of the scorer against the Athletic “I remember he was strong for his age and played upright.” And over time “it has evolved.”

Roura, who feels “proud” when he sees the growth of these players, remembers their evolution, always progressive, although there is an important moment. “When he was 12 or 13 years old, we noticed that he had a tendency to gain weight. It was logical because he was big and tall. And then, summer came and his typology changed. He was more stylized, just as strong but more stylish, almost no “I know him. Complete change. Amazing. He grew up and took care of himself.”

Add that score Guiu He was also “lucky” to meet “a local technician who was bold” in the bet. “And the ultimate goal of the team is for them to debut in the first team. Not everyone can do it and that should be appreciated,” he insists.

Striker not installed The Masia. “score is a different prototype of what people think of children The Masia. People associate little with Lamine Yamal, which is all talent, dribbling. He is the typical reference number 9, his size is 1.87, very good build, very fast, powerful and scorer. He is right-handed but has good control over both legs,” he learns Roura.

Its main characteristic is, precisely, what it did before the Athletic. “He goes well into space, he’s powerful and quick and has a good finish. He did what he usually does these years,” he commented, unsurprised at the number of times he’s seen him play. “It happens that the significance he makes in the first team is different. He has done it fifty times in youth football. It’s fun to do it in the first team.” He had no doubt. “Be professional. In Barça or any other equipment. They will raffle him off “because he also has a good disposition, he is disciplined and he likes it.” If he didn’t have this condition, “you wouldn’t call me,” he joked.

Xavi He brought him to the friendly in Japan last season, in the preseason and he was included in several squads. He went from youth to only playing 8 minutes in the reserve team. “He saw him training, he liked it and all the circumstances were in place for him to make his debut. “It’s incredible for a club. He became brave. He saw it was ready, he put it in and it turned out amazing. He couldn’t do it and he did. “Not only with this one but with other players.”

The quarry of Barça It never had a tradition of developing talent. “Sometimes because of the idea of ​​the game, more midfielders or interior players come out on arrival. With the forwards, it’s a bit more difficult.” Understand that Barça explore Brazil in search of talent. vitor Roque, Messino. “Let’s not fool ourselves, the Barça He will sign people who are great and make a difference at the top, which is why it is difficult for them to leave. Sometimes you have to find and pay.” And he maintains a theory: “The club needs this symbiosis. Foreign players that complement what we have. Now we have Ansu to Yamile to Marc…”.

Luck also influences and gives an example of that moment Iker Bravo He went to Bayern. He Barça promoted to Hugo Alba, the holder of his generation,” and seac found himself alone in the team as a regular striker “and tired of scoring goals. It’s all a matter of evolution, work and a little luck.” Of course, he cautions that the goal isn’t always in his face. It is important not to force the situation. “You have to go little by little. You don’t have to think that he will come out and score six goals, it depends on how the game goes,” he emphasizes. In any case, one is enough, as was the case before the Athletic. “And more to come.”