Tag: Barcelona

Barcelona survived a nervy second half to beat Napoli 3-1 on Tuesday and reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Xavi Hernandez’s side came flying out of the blocks with goals from Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo but after Amir Rrahmani pulled one back, the Catalans started to sweat.

Italian champions Napoli, who salvaged a 1-1 draw in the last-16 first leg, were finally beaten when Robert Lewandowski swept home from close range.

It is the first time that five-time winners Barcelona have reached the last eight of the Champions League since 2020, and they did so without injured midfield trio Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong.

Xavi said he was leaving at the end of the season in January and his team have gone on a run of nine games without defeat after that decision.

Teenage stars Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have been key to that form, and both excelled against Napoli on a night which offered some relief to Barcelona amid a bleak season.

Barcelona became the first team in the competition’s history to start two players 17 or under in a knock-out stage game.

Xavi demanded the fans turn their temporary Olympic Stadium home on the city’s Montjuic hill into a pressure cooker, and they duly obliged. Over 50,000 spectators marked the club’s largest attendance this season.

Francesco Calzona’s Napoli wilted as the Spanish champions came out of the blocks flying.

Electric 16-year-old winger Yamal made strong inroads down the right before the bright Lopez opened the scoring after 15 minutes.

Cancelo fed Raphinha who cut the ball back into the area for Lopez, who tucked home.

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While he may lack the metronomic precision of Pedri, the midfielder provides thrust and an insatiable desire to shoot.

Two minutes later the Catalans doubled their lead against the shellshocked visitors, with Yamal starting the move by breaking loose in his own half on the counter-attack.

The winger played in Raphinha and although the Brazilian hit the post Cancelo was running in to roll home the rebound.

Napoli battled their way back in when Matteo Politano slipped in down the right, with Ronald Araujo playing him onside.

The Italy winger crossed for Rrahmani who slotted home cleanly to pull Napoli back into the tie.

Napoli were almost level moments later but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a superb save, tipping over Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header.

The Italians started the second half strongly, with Barcelona forced back into their own half, aimlessly clearing the ball.

Xavi took action by bringing on Sergi Roberto and Oriol Romeu for Lopez and Andreas Christensen, aiming to freshen up the midfield and give his team new impetus.

Raphinha and Lewandowski drew saves from Alex Meret before Yamal struck from close range, but he was offside.

Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom headed narrowly wide for Napoli before Lewandowski settled the tie after Ilkay Gundogan and Sergi Roberto combined to set him up.

Second-half jitters showed Barcelona are far from their former glory but in the dynamic Yamal, Raphinha and Cancelo they have the quality going forward to trouble any prospective quarter-final opponent.

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Barcelona midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong are expected to miss the Champions League clash against Napoli after the Spanish club confirmed on Monday.

Dutch international De Jong suffered a right ankle sprain with Spaniard Pedri picking up a new injury to his right hamstring in Sunday’s goalless draw in La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao.

Barcelona did not specify the duration of the pair’s absence, but they could be out for more than a month and miss the Champions League last 16-second leg clash against Napoli next week.

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The five-time European champions will host the current Italian champions on March 12 with the tie finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

De Jong was sidelined earlier this season with a right ankle injury, while Pedri has been plagued by right thigh problems with the latest being his third of the campaign.

Pedri is also expected to miss Spain’s international friendlies against Colombia in London on March 22 and Brazil at Santiago Bernabeu four days later.

“They are two very influential players in our game, two very important players. We will miss them,” said their coach Xavi Hernandez on Sunday, after the third-placed Catalans missed the chance to go second.

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MADRID: Marcos Llorente’s goal helped Atletico Madrid edge Sevilla 1-0 to displace defending champions Barcelona in third position during their La Liga 2023-24 clash at Civitas Metropolitan Stadium on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid’s last La Liga match ended in a 3-3 stalemate against Getafe after being reduced to ten men, while Sevilla registered their third victory this season over Granada 3-0.

Both teams started the game on high, making two attempts each in the first ten minutes to end this year with a victory.

Antoine Griezmann was at his best, making several attempts to earn the lead for Atletico however, Sevilla’s goalkeeper did not let him get through.

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Both sides fought hard in the first half, which ended without a goal from either team.

The home side made two substitutions for the second half as Marcos Llorente replaced Nahuel Molina, while Ángel Correa replaced Rodrigo Riquelme.

Marcos Llorente came off the bench and scored the match-winner in his first minute as he hit a right-footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the bottom left corner.

This was Llorente’s third goal during the ongoing season of La Liga.

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Llorente came close to adding a second with a header that hit the top of the net and a shot saved by Sevilla keeper Marko Dmitrovic.

Sevilla made several vain efforts to equalise but could not get through as the home side’s lead remained intact until the final whistle.

Atletico Madrid will face second-placed Girona in their next La Liga match on January 4th, while Sevilla will face Athletic Club on the same day.

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BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto scored a brace to help his side edge bottom-ranked Almeria in a five-goal La Liga thriller at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

Defending La Liga champions Barcelona solidified their third position after the 3-2 win over the win-less visitors at their temporary home ground, which is hosting their home games this season due to renovations of the Camp Nou.

Barcelona dominated the possession from the beginning and kept the Almeria side under pressure.

Raphinha opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when Araujo hit a header following a corner, which was stopped by Almeria goalkeeper Maximiano but Raphinha hit the net on a rebound.

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Now in the lead, Xavi’s charges took their foot off the pedal, yet they almost got a second when Robert Lewandowski was gifted the ball in the box by a defender and only another excellent Maximiano save denied him.

This drop in intensity did then prove to be their undoing as just eight minutes later, Leo Baptistao shocked them with an equaliser.

Xavi rang the changes at half-time and sent on Ferran Torres and Jules Kounde in place of Joao Felix and Andreas Christensen.

Torres had an instant impact, working the Portuguese stopper with a firm strike three minutes after half-time.

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Poor set-piece defending gave Barca the chance they needed to get back in front on the hour mark, Sergi Roberto meeting a corner at the near post and lofting a header over the goalkeeper’s dive into the far corner.

The second goal appeared to have knocked the stuffing out of the 20th-placed side but a gift from Pena got them back in it when he dropped a lofted free-kick at Edgar’s feet and the defender gleefully rolled the ball into the unguarded net.

Barca had a golden chance to win the game with just over 10 minutes remaining, but Lewandowski then Ilkay Gundogan were unable to make sufficient contact with their headers when the goal was gaping before them.

But it was Sergi Roberto, in just his fifth appearance of the season, that provided the winning goal for the Spanish champions when he burst onto Lewandowski’s lofted pass in the 83rd minute and slotted past Maximiano.

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BARCELONA: Shock Spanish title contenders Girona earned a historic 4-2 win over rivals Barcelona on Sunday at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys to move to the top of La Liga.

Girona defeated their Catalan rivals for the first time ever in the top flight in a pulsating battle to rise two points above Real Madrid, second, after their 1-1 draw at Real Betis on Saturday.

Defending La Liga champions Barcelona are fourth after Atletico Madrid, third, beat Almeria earlier on, and Xavi’s side trail Girona by seven points.

Artem Dovbyk sent Girona ahead and after Robert Lewandowski pulled Barcelona level, Miguel Gutierrez slammed home again for the visitors.

Valery Fernandez extended Girona’s lead with 10 minutes remaining before Ilkay Gundogan netted to set up a frantic finale.

Veteran striker Cristhian Stuani struck from close range in stoppage time to wrap up a stunning victory which reaffirms the minnows’ title dream.

Girona, part-owned by the City Football Group, were without injured key midfielder Yangel Herrera, whom they signed from Manchester City, but did not let it set them back.

In La Liga for only the fourth season in their history, they played without any fear of their more illustrious neighbours and took the lead early on as the game see-sawed deliciously from end to end.

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The visitors split the 27-time champions open with a lethal counter-attack, with Ukrainian winger Viktor Tsygankov feeding his compatriot Dovbyk to slam home in the 12th minute.

Unperturbed, Barcelona levelled quickly through Lewandowski, with the 35-year-old heading home Raphinha’s corner to end a run of three matches without a goal.

Former Real Madrid left-back Gutierrez, no stranger to an adventure upfield, drove into the box and cracked an early strike into the near top corner five minutes before the break.

Barcelona tried to force their way back in, with Paulo Gazzaniga saving Frenkie de Jong’s low effort and Raphinha sending a free-kick over the bar.

Valery seemed to end Barca’s hopes with 10 minutes to go when Stuani headed the ball into his path, and he beat Jules Kounde with ease before firing home.

However, Gundogan turned well in the box and lashed past Gazzaniga to give the hosts a chance to snatch a draw. Lewandowski might have levelled but headed wide when well-placed.

Stuani bundled home at the death to complete a sensational night for Girona, with several of their players leaping the advertising hoardings and running towards their fans in celebration.

Michel said beforehand that a win would send his team into a new dimension and there can be little doubt now they are genuine title contenders this season.

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Barcelona’s La Liga title defence, however, is on the ropes.

“We’re seven points behind, which is a lot, but there’s more than half a season to go,” De Jong told DAZN.

“There’s time, but we have a lot to come back from.”

Earlier Diego Simeone’s Atletico took an early two-goal lead through Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa, but Leo Baptistao pulled Almeria into the game after an hour.

Atletico held on for the victory as the Andalucian strugglers threatened to pull level at the Metropolitano.

“They pressed us in the second half, we couldn’t find solutions and it was hard for us,” Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann admitted to Movistar.

Athletic Bilbao’s visit to Granada was stopped in the 18th minute because a fan died in the stands, with the match subsequently abandoned.

Inaki Williams had sent the Basques ahead and they will resume play with the lead on Monday night from 17 minutes.

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Joao Felix’s superb dinked finish earned Barcelona a vital 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday in the La Liga title race.

The Portuguese forward, on loan at Barcelona from Atletico, made no secret of his pleasure to escape the Spanish capital this summer and made his parent club pay at the Olympic Stadium.

Felix was criticised by some Atletico players ahead of the game and Barca coach Xavi Hernandez called on him to use those words as inspiration, which he duly did.

The forward’s goal allowed Barca to reclaim third place from Atletico, now trailing leaders Real Madrid and second place Girona by four points in the La Liga points table.

Atletico have not won away against the champions in La Liga since 2006, a run now stretching to 18 matches, but arrived thinking this could be the time to snap that streak.

Since crumbling to a defeat in the Clasico by Real Madrid at the end of October, Barcelona have struggled for form and confidence.

Barcelona started well, carving out chances and Felix broke the deadlock after 28 minutes, taking a brilliant touch to ride Nahuel Molina’s challenge and then dinking the ball over Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Felix celebrated with arms aloft, standing on the advertising hoardings in front of the angry visiting supporters, while Rojiblancos coach Diego Simeone appeared disgruntled as he flashed up on the big screens.

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The 24-year-old forward, a club record signing at 126 million euros ($137 million) in 2019, never settled in the capital and did not click with Simeone’s management and playing style.

“It was spontaneous… in the heat of the game and it was like a relief, for everything I lived through this summer,” Felix told Movistar about his celebration.

“Every week I’m talked about, whether for good or bad, I do my job, without looking at what they say or think.”

Perhaps not coincidentally, Axel Witsel was soon booked for hacking Felix to the ground shortly after.

Felix came close to a second with a prodded effort from Ilkay Gundogan’s cut-back, but this time Oblak denied him.

Gundogan impressed in midfield alongside fit-again duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, as Barcelona controlled the game.

Raphinha clipped the post at the start of the second half to get Barcelona fans out of their seats.

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Despite their high-calibre opponents, the attendance fell short of 35,000 and was the club’s poorest this season, with supporters perhaps chastened by the colder winter evenings and the late kick-off.

Atletico improved in the second half but not by enough to force an equaliser.

Talisman Antoine Griezmann worked hard but could not find the net against his old employers — he has not netted in 14 games against Barca for the Rojiblancos.

Memphis Depay, another ex-Barcelona player, came closest for Atletico with a free-kick tipped over by Inaki Pena, between the sticks for the hosts in place of the hurt Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Robert Lewandowski should have wrapped up Barcelona’s victory but pulled an effort wide late on – he only has three goals in his last 10 games for the club across all competitions.

Atletico, fourth, trail Barca by three points and the top two by seven.

Earlier winless bottom side Almeria were held 0-0 at home by 10-man Real Betis, seventh, on Sunday.

Struggling Sevilla, 15th, drew 1-1 with Villarreal and have not won in 10 matches under new coach Diego Alonso between La Liga and the Champions League.

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Spanish champions Barcelona slipped up in a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday in La Liga, continuing a worrying run of underwhelming performances.

Surprise La Liga leaders Girona and Real Madrid in second now have the chance to extend their lead on the Catalans, fourth, over the next two days.

Antoine Griezmann’s header earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win later on Saturday in their La Liga clash against Real Mallorca to take the Rojiblancos third, above Barcelona on goal difference, having played a game fewer.

Unai Lopez drove Rayo ahead from long range in the first half but Barca levelled through Florian Lejeune’s own goal in the 82nd minute.

The draw adds to the doubts around Barcelona, who have not been at their best for several weeks and face Porto on Tuesday seeking Champions League knock-out round qualification.

“I think it was a game of two halves, in the first we dominated but we weren’t aggressive enough to cause damage,” said Xavi.

“In the second we were, we scored a goal and could have had others … we need to win these games if we want to win the league.

“We have to be self-critical, it’s costing us too much this season giving things away… in modern football a lot of changes when they score against you.”

Inaki Pena started in goal for Barca with Marc-Andre ter Stegen out with a back problem, while Xavi turned to the fit-again Frenkie de Jong to replace the injured Gavi in midfield.

The 19-year-old’s cruciate ligament tear will keep him out for the season, with Barcelona losing a player the coach has described as the “soul” of the team.

Barcelona players wore shirts before kick-off with his name on the back, and a message saying “we are with you, Gavi”.

Hosts Rayo started well, encouraged by having beaten Barca on three of their four previous clashes, including twice at their ramshackle Vallecas stadium.

They took the lead after 39 minutes when Lopez hammered a superb effort into the bottom right corner from around 30 yards out after the ball was cleared into his path.

Xavi said Barca would miss Gavi’s “intensity, heart and courage” against Francisco Rodriguez’s side and he was proven right, although they improved a little after the break.

Ferran Torres and Pedri came close for Barca before Raphinha’s raking effort hit the post and Rayo hacked Robert Lewandowski’s attempted finish from the rebound off the line.

Eventually, the Catalans levelled with eight minutes remaining when Lejeune diverted Balde’s cross into his own net, under pressure from Lewandowski.

“We didn’t play well, we weren’t at the level that we can be,” De Jong told DAZN.

“We have to work to improve — the plan is good, we are confident, everyone ran as much as they could.

“I think that we weren’t good in possession.”

Barcelona now have failed to beat Rayo in five matches and could fall six points behind Girona if their neighbours beat Athletic Bilbao on Monday at Montilivi.

Real Madrid, two points clear of Barca, visit Cadiz on Sunday, currently one point ahead of Atletico Madrid in the La Liga points table.

Griezmann’s superb header after 64 minutes earned his team victory, although visitors Mallorca spurned some good openings in the final stages.

Atletico midfielder Koke, the club’s record appearance maker, hit a milestone of 600 games for the club.

“The match was very hard for us, Mallorca played a very serious game,” Koke told Movistar.

“600 games is an extraordinary number,” added Atletico coach Diego Simeone.

“Nobody has given him anything for free, and we have shared a lot (of memories here).”

The goal was Griezmann’s 301st in his career and he is rapidly closing in on Luis Aragones’ club record of 173 — the French forward has 170 for Atletico.

“(Griezmann) will be living history at Atletico Madrid, he will surpass Luis Aragones,” added Koke.

Atletico will visit Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night, knowing they can reach the last 16 with a victory.

Mallorca, 17th, are one point clear of the relegation zone but have played one fewer match than the three teams below them.

Winless bottom-of-the-table Almeria lost 2-1 at Getafe, while Valencia and Celta Vigo, 18th, shared a goalless draw.

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Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said football is “inexplicable” after Ronald Araujo’s 92nd-minute winner snatched Barcelona an undeserved 1-0 victory at Real Sociedad on Saturday in La Liga.

Having suffered a last-gasp defeat by Real Madrid in the Clasico last Saturday despite having the better of the game, Xavi’s side inflicted the same suffering on Real Sociedad in San Sebastian.

Barcelona failed to create any clear chances until the final stages, with their goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen keeping the score level before Araujo headed Ilkay Gundogan’s cross home with seconds remaining.

The victory takes Barcelona third in the La Liga points table, two points above Atletico Madrid, who lost on Friday at Las Palmas, and one point behind second-place Real Madrid, who host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Girona provisionally lead La Liga by three points from Los Blancos after they came from behind to beat Osasuna 4-2 earlier Saturday.

“It tastes spectacular,” Xavi told Movistar after Araujo’s late winner.

“Football sometimes is inexplicable — last week we deserved to win and ended up losing, now (we) don’t deserve to win, and end up winning.”

Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted Barcelona’s first league defeat and Xavi said the team were still reeling from it as La Real outplayed them.

“Maybe we came out with a post-Clasico hangover… we didn’t have the intensity that we wanted,” added Xavi.

The coach brought Robert Lewandowski into the Barca starting line-up after he made his return from injury as a substitute against Madrid.

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However, the Polish forward was just as quiet as he was last weekend as the game passed him and Barcelona by for large periods.

Real Sociedad pushed the Catalans back through the first half, carving out by far the better chances but were unable to find the opener.

Within the first 30 seconds, Ander Barrenetxea called Ter Stegen into action, and Barcelona’s German goalkeeper was under the cosh as the hosts rampaged forward.

Real Sociedad remained on top after the break but Barcelona found more stability, tightening up at the back and closing off some of the space Barrenetxea and Kubo enjoyed earlier on.

Pedri made his comeback from injury in the second half, replacing Lewandowski for his first appearance since August, as Xavi sought more control.

The champions produced their first genuine chance in stoppage time when Pedri cleverly slipped in Gavi, but Remiro denied the midfielder.

Their chance to steal the points seemed to have vanished but centre-back Araujo popped up in the right place at the right time to pull off the heist.

“These are three very important points after coming from the Clasico, which we lost playing well,” Araujo told Movistar.

The defeat leaves Real Sociedad sixth after Real Betis beat Mallorca to rise above them.

“Generally we were better then them, we didn’t put away our chances and they scored the one they had,” Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal told Movistar.

“I think it’s worse to lose without showing up, to lose without playing well… if you have to lose, I prefer to lose like this.”

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Jude Bellingham’s stunning double snatched Real Madrid a 2-1 comeback victory at Barcelona in his first La Liga Clasico on Saturday.

The England international, who has started his Madrid career in remarkable goalscoring form, unleashed a rocket into the top corner from distance after Ilkay Gundogan had sent hosts Barcelona ahead at the Olympic Stadium.

Bellingham then fired home a second in stoppage time from close range to silence Barcelona fans and reach 10 goals in the top flight in the ongoing La Liga season.

Barcelona hit the woodwork twice and had the better of the game but Bellingham, La Liga’s top goalscorer, is in unstoppable form and inevitably made his mark in his first Clasico.

Bellingham’s brace sent Madrid to the top of La Liga, ahead of Girona on goal difference, with both teams four points ahead of Barcelona in third.

“I love these comebacks, it played with my heart a little bit (but) they’re always so fun to play in,” Bellingham told Real Madrid TV.

“We didn’t give up and I’m so happy I could do it.”

Bellingham didn’t waste time celebrating his equaliser, keeping a cool head and quickly preparing to re-start the game, in search of the eventual winner.

“He seems like a veteran… the goal to level it totally changed the game,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said of his 20-year-old match-winner.

“What was surprising today was his shot, he’s always arriving in the box, today he scored a stupendous goal from in front of the area.”

Bellingham has now scored 13 goals in 13 games for Real Madrid across all competitions.

“He can get to 20 or 25 goals, because he has started very well,” added Ancelotti.

Barcelona could not believe the points had slipped out of their hands after a strong performance.

“The summary is simple, we had 60 very good minutes where we scored a goal, they had 20 to 25 minutes and they scored two,” said coach Xavi.

“I think Madrid’s victory today is unjust… they were much more efficient than us, that is the big difference.”

Barcelona were boosted during this most anticipated La Liga clash by the returns of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha from injury, with Xavi naming them on the bench.

His counterpart Ancelotti once again deployed Bellingham in the number 10 role as he got his first taste of arguably the world’s biggest club football match.

However, it was another midfielder playing for the first time in the Clasico who broke the deadlock — Barcelona’s summer arrival Gundogan.

The former Manchester City man was sharpest when Aurelien Tchouameni intercepted Ferran Torres’ pass, diverting it back into his own area.

David Alaba tried to clear but was thoroughly unconvincing and Gundogan read his intentions, hopped onto the ball and swept past Kepa Arrizabalaga in the sixth minute.

Fermin Lopez, one of the emerging young Barcelona La Masia academy products, then slapped a shot against the post.

Gavi, Gundogan and Lopez controlled the midfield, with Joao Cancelo’s more advanced position allowing Barcelona additional defensive security.

Barcelona struck the woodwork again when Inigo Martinez headed Lopez’s inch-perfect cross against the post.

Madrid were reduced to long-range efforts but eventually one ripped into the net to level the score, with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen could not keep out Bellingham’s blast, pulling Madrid level in a game they had struggled to find a foothold in.

Bellingham intervened decisively in stoppage time, in the right place at the right time to finish after Luka Modric diverted Dani Carvajal’s cross into his path.

If Madrid’s comeback played with Bellingham’s heart, it broke Barcelona’s.

“The message for everyone, the players too, is that this season is long, it’s the 11th game,” said Xavi, trying to rouse his troops who seemed despondent at full-time.

In contrast, Bellingham was naturally overjoyed.

“It was a little bit emotional thinking about all the times I watched (the Clasico) on my sofa with my family,” added Bellingham.

“I said to them today it was my turn to make an impression — I’ve done that and I’m really happy.”

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Teenage debutant Marc Guiu snatched champions Barcelona a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao just seconds after coming on from the bench in La Liga, taking the Catalans up to third.

Xavi’s Barca will face La Liga table-topper Real Madrid next Saturday in the El Clasico just one point behind their bitter rivals, and second-placed Girona, who beat Almeria 5-2 earlier on.

For a long time, it seemed like Barcelona would not find the breakthrough against their Basque visitors but striker Guiu, 17, netted under a minute after being thrown on by Xavi.

The forward was slipped in by the silky Joao Felix and slotted past Unai Simon, who got a hand to his shot but could not keep it out.

Guiu became the latest on a conveyor belt of youths to make their debuts for Barca as their La Masia academy continues to produce gems.

“He’s been training with us for the whole season, it’s important that everyone who comes brings something,” Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez told DAZN.

“We’re happy for him, for the goal, and above all, for winning.”

Xavi started Martinez against his former club in La Liga and 20-year-old Fermin Lopez on the left of the attack, another academy product, with Barcelona down to the bare bones.

Several regular starters, including key striker Robert Lewandowski, are out injured.

Felix clipped the top of the crossbar with a shot from Ferran Torres’ cut-back as Barcelona looked to get started quickly ahead of a tricky week.

The Catalans host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday before welcoming rivals Madrid to Montjuic.

However, the hosts were negated by former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic, who took the sting out of the game and occasionally sprang forward with both Williams brothers threatening from the flanks.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen tipped over an Inaki Williams effort and then parried a strike from the Ghana international, with Martinez producing a sublime block to deny his sibling Nico from the rebound.

Approaching the hour mark Barcelona carved out their best chance, when Simon brilliantly denied Lopez from close range, after initially saving from Felix’s low strike.

Another followed when Felix fed substitute Lamine Yamal in the area but the 16-year-old starlet dragged his shot wide of the near post.

The teenager’s arrival helped Barcelona gain the upper hand and Joao Cancelo was the next to draw a save from the watchful Simon.

Xavi brought on Guiu in the 79th minute and with his very first touch he broke into the area and then confidently fired past Simon.

Full of energy, the striker was soon booked for an attempted slide tackle which caught the goalkeeper as he tried to stop him clearing his lines, as he was roared on by the jubilant home fans.

Barcelona’s victory takes them above Atletico Madrid, fourth, while Valverde’s Athletic are sixth.

“I’m annoyed because it went just past me and maybe I could have done a bit more,” Simon told DAZN.

“We really wanted to get three points to make a big gap above seventh place.”

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