Tommy Marques became a key talking point in the Barcelona camp this week after the youngster made his first-team debut against Mallorca.
He appeared as a late substitute for fellow La Masia graduate Fermin Lopez, in what will go down as a memorable moment for the youngster.
Days after his debut, Marques featured in a recent event outside La Masia, where he expressed his delight at making his debut for Barcelona.
Marques on making Barcelona debut
Speaking to the club’s official media, Marques admitted it was a dream come true for him to make his competition debut for Barça.
“I’m very happy and proud. So many things went through my head. I’m living a spectacular dream, and even more so to be able to make my debut at Camp Nou and for the club of my life,” he said.
“It’s the dream of a kid who started playing here, enjoying himself, having fun and learning… I’ve been at the club for 11 years. It’s a goal for everyone and it’s spectacular. I’m happy and proud,” he added.
A defensive midfielder by trade, Barcelona rate Marques quite highly, with coach Hansi Flick likely to keep him as part of the team and monitor his progress closely.
The youngster reiterated that he is still in awe over the Barcelona debut but admitted that he will remain grounded and work hard towards his goals.
“I still can’t believe it, it’s hard to wrap my head around. We had an impromptu dinner with the family, and I tried to rest, but I couldn’t really get much rest, to be honest, because I had a match with my team the next day.
“Now I have to stay grounded, but be ambitious and keep working so that more days like this come,” he said.
Marques, who arrived in the Barcelona youth academy in 2015, considers Sergio Busquets and current first-team star Frenkie de Jong as his role models.
Finally, the player heaped praise on Hansi Flick as well, noting his commitment towards Barcelona’s academy.
“For all of us who work here day in and day out, seeing that the first-team coach trusts the academy is a motivation; it makes you want more,” he concluded.
