Chelsea’s 18-Year-Old Marc Guiu Shines with Hat-Trick, Sparking Debate Over Barcelona Departure

Marc Guiu concluded as the Conference League league phase’s leading scorer after achieving a first-half hat-trick against Shamrock Rovers. While other young Chelsea players have also performed well in the Conference League this season, Guiu garnered significant attention following the Blues’ recent decisive win in the tournament. The 18-year-old was the most prominent player in Chelsea’s 5-1 triumph over Shamrock Rovers on Thursday. His first-half hat-trick contributed to Enzo Maresca’s squad securing the top position in the league phase and preserving their undefeated streak in the competition. Guiu initiated the scoring by effectively converting Darragh Burns’ errant header. He then secured his second goal, restoring Chelsea’s advantage after Markus Poom’s equalizer, by intercepting Daniel Cleary’s short back pass and finishing from a very acute angle. The teenager completed his hat-trick during first-half stoppage time, connecting with Noni Madueke’s accurate cross and heading the ball into the far corner. This marked his sixth goal in the league phase, surpassing all other players in the competition. The Spanish youth international, who transferred to Chelsea from Barcelona during the summer, was substituted by Joao Felix at the 60-minute mark. Nevertheless, the evening was clearly defined by Guiu’s performance. “My thought with Guiu is, how have Barcelona let him go?” former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole commented to TNT Sports. “This kid – in two years’ time – could be an established number nine.” He added, “I think Barcelona have made a mistake.” Guiu’s immediate impact upon joining the Barcelona first team was significant, making the phrase “hit the ground running” an understatement. The La Masia academy product made an immediate impression, scoring only 33 seconds after his introduction in the 79th minute of Barcelona’s La Liga fixture against Athletic Bilbao in October 2023, securing a 1-0 win for Xavi’s squad. His progression to the senior squad, however, was considerably more challenging. Affected by several growth spurts during his adolescence, the forward did not consistently feature as a starter at the youth level. “He missed a lot of games,” Albert Capellas, Barcelona’s former assistant director of youth football, informed Sky Sports earlier this year. “He could not train.” Capellas elaborated, “What happens at a lot of clubs, if you cannot train or play, maybe you have to leave. [But] at Barcelona, we know the level of the players, we give them time.” The Catalan club’s forbearance ultimately benefited Guiu. He went on to make an additional six appearances for the senior team during the 2023-24 season, registering another goal in a 3-2 loss to Royal Antwerp in the Champions League. Capellas further stated, “Marc Guiu is a finisher.” He clarified, “[He] is not a player who has unbelievable skills one against one, who can dribble past players. He is another type of player, but he is exceptional in his position. He has the nose to score goals.” Barcelona reportedly sought to eliminate Guiu’s relatively low £5m release clause from his contract by proposing an extension. However, Chelsea activated this clause in June, subsequently signing the young player to a five-year agreement, which includes an option for an additional year at Stamford Bridge. While Guiu might have benefited from fortunate circumstances for two of his three goals against Shamrock Rovers, he demonstrated the keen predatory instinct of an experienced forward by exploiting those first-half mistakes. His third goal of the match, a header from Madueke’s cross, appeared almost effortless. “It was instinctive,” Cole remarked, commenting on the 18-year-old’s hat-trick. “I liken him to [former Barcelona, Liverpool and Uruguay striker] Luis Suarez.” He clarified, “I’m not saying he’s Suarez right now, but he has that instinct and bravery.” Cole concluded, “This kid can score goals. He can be a big star for this club.” Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who scored Chelsea’s third goal, expressed equally strong commendation for his young colleague. “I’ve never seen anyone press like him,” Dewsbury-Hall stated. “He never slows down.” Although Guiu has participated in all of Chelsea’s Conference League matches this season, including the qualifying play-off against Servette, his opportunities in domestic competitions have been restricted. He has not featured in the Premier League since Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to champions Manchester City in their inaugural match, where he came on for the injured Nicolas Jackson. Guiu appeared as a second-half substitute in Chelsea’s 5-0 Carabao Cup win against Barrow. However, the team’s fourth-round elimination by Newcastle prevented Guiu from having more chances to make an impact in that tournament. In European competition, the situation has been different, with Guiu achieving an average of a goal every 47 minutes in the Conference League league phase, which is the top record in the tournament. His six goals were scored from 19 attempts, resulting in a notable conversion rate of 32%. Nicolas Jackson’s strong performance in the Premier League and Christopher Nkunku’s goal-scoring success in the Conference League might have postponed a full first-team integration for Guiu. Nevertheless, Maresca indicated that it is merely a matter of time until the teenager receives more consistent opportunities to demonstrate his abilities. “He is a bit unhappy as Nicolas and Christopher are doing well,” the Italian coach stated following Thursday’s victory. “When you are a nine and another nine is doing well, it is a matter of being questioned. It’s important that they work hard day-by-day.” He concluded, “Then they [will] get a chance.”