Pep Guardiola impressed by ‘extraordinary’ 17-year-old Barcelona academy jewel

Last night, FC Barcelona began their US pre-season tour on a strong note as they played out a 2-2 draw against Manchester City before coming out on top in the penalty shootout.

It was an impressive performance from the Blaugrana considering the number of young talents on the pitch going up against a team like Manchester City.

One of the players who caught the eye with his performance was young midfield talent Marc Bernal. After impressing in the friendly vs UE Olot, the 17-year-old La Masia did a good job again last night in Orlando.

Pep Guardiola impressed

So much so that Bernal’s performance seemingly left a solid impression on Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who praised the teenage sensation after the match.

“I thought Marc Bernal was extraordinary, how he controls, how he plays,” said Guardiola, as quoted by SPORT.

Guardiola impressed by Bernal. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

“But they all played incredible, they do things very well, they know when they have to run, when they have to press, when they have to anticipate. I wish them all the best.”

Bernal set for first-team role?

Bernal has always been held in the highest regard within Barcelona and now the youngster has made a big impression on new manager Hansi Flick and his staff.

So much so that there is now a strong possibility that Bernal could become a part of the first-team setup in the upcoming season with Barcelona no longer pursuing a new pivot midfielder.

The early signs are certainly positive and a good showing in the next couple of matches against Real Madrid and AC Milan should only further his chances.