In his second game for the Blues, the Spanish footballer missed a clear chance to increase the lead in the Conference League.
Chelsea made their debut in European competition in the 2024-25 season, facing Servette of Switzerland in the UEFA Conference League play-off stage in a two-legged tie that began at Stamford Bridge.
For this match, coach Enzo Maresca decided to make a strong rotation in the starting line-up and stars such as Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer were on the bench. However, players such as Marc Guiu did not leave a good impression overall.
The Spaniard was the star of what will possibly end up being the missed goal of the year , after having made his debut as a starter with the Blues and his second appearance since arriving from FC Barcelona for almost 7 million euros.
With the score at 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Frenchman Christopher Nkunku, Guiu took advantage of goalkeeper Gaël Ondoua ‘s mistake in trying to continue the play outside his area and went off alone in front of goal, but he made a bad decision at the end: he thought more about the assist than the shot and he made a weak pass that was intercepted by the opposing goalkeeper.
Seconds after the first missed shot, the Spaniard had the chance to finish the play with a goal, but the Cameroonian goalkeeper appeared with a double save that prevented Chelsea from increasing its lead in the first leg of the series.
To Marc Guiu’s relief, minutes later Noni Madueke – who came off the bench – scored to secure the win in London and give them a chance to think calmly about the return match in Switzerland on Thursday 29 September.
Marc Guiu, from not having a place in Barcelona to ending up in Chelsea
Guiu began his career at La Masia, FC Barcelona’s renowned youth academy, and made his debut with the Blaugrana’s first team in October 2023 , scoring a decisive goal 33 seconds after entering the field in a match against Athletic Club.
However, despite having surprised with his emergence with the culé team, the truth is that the number of footballers available in the professional squad kept him away from the fight for the starting position and Chelsea offered him a better footballing outlook, being the preferred destination for several young players from Europe in search of developing in a major club in the Premier League.
Thus, for the start of the 2024-25 season, Chelsea paid around six million euros to buy the player’s transfer from Barcelona and he was quickly well considered by Maresca to add minutes with the Blues, both at the start of the Premier League against Manchester City and in the debut in the Conference League.
