Pau Victor has been impressive in pre-season, shining against Manchester City and Real Madrid
FC Barcelona might have found a new young sensation this pre-season in Pau Victor, who has already scored three goals in the first two friendlies, including a brace in El Clasico against Real Madrid, and is already seen as Robert Lewandowski's backup.
1. A new Barcelona star emerges in pre-season
Pau Victor has been the standout revelation of FC Barcelona's tour of the United States this pre-season. The 22-year-old has scored three goals in the first two friendlies against top-tier teams such as Manchester City and Real Madrid, including a brace in El Clasico on Saturday.
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Last year, Victor was the 'Pichichi' (top goalscorer) for Barca Atletic, and he is now being touted as the perfect backup for Robert Lewandowski, possibly displacing Brazilian youngster Vitor Roque.
2. Pau Victor’s key performances against top teams
Victor dropped a masterclass against Manchester City in the pre-season opener, opening the scoring midway through the first half. The youngster timed his run perfectly down the middle to latch onto a through ball, slotting home past an advancing Ederson.
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He also facilitated Pau Torre's goal with a beautiful dummy. Despite the match ending 2-2 in regulation time, Barcelona prevailed 4-1 on penalties, and Victor was named man of the match for his brilliant performance.
Four days later, Victor produced another sensational performance against arch-rivals Real Madrid. He opened the scoring by heading home from a Robert Lewandowski assist in the 42nd minute and completed his brace nine minutes into the second half, tapping in from right-back Alex Valle's perfect low cross.
3. Where did Pau Victor come from?
Signed from Girona for a transfer fee of €2.7 million after a successful loan spell last season, Victor has shown signs of having a bright future with Barcelona.
According to Mundo Deportivo, his attitude in training and intelligence on the pitch have already made him a favourite in the dressing room.
He is seen as the top contender to back up Lewandowski in the 2024-25 season. The 1.84m tall attacker is well-built, strong in the air, and has a powerful right foot. His ability to find free spaces in the attacking third has been impressive so far.
4. Pau Victor’s path to first-team success
Victor's journey to Barcelona's first team has been marked by resilience and adaptability. He arrived at Barcelona last season on loan from Girona, where he spent four years playing in the youth team and the reserve team.
At Girona, he had a brief chance in the first team but returned to the reserves after a managerial change, although the Spanish striker was still able to hone his skills under the guidance of veteran striker Cristhian Stuani.
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Barcelona sporting director Deco and football coordinator Bojan Krkic have been particularly supportive of his development. During his time with Barcelona Atletic, he demonstrated his versatility by playing in various attacking roles and finished as the top scorer with 18 goals in the Primera RFEF league.
5. Ready for the Big Stage
Despite only featuring in pre-season friendlies so far, Victor's performances have had a significant impact. He has outshone even established players like Robert Lewandowski and Vitor Roque.
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With the departure of Marc Guiu to Chelsea, Victor has solidified his place in the first-team squad, provided La Liga's financial rules permit it.
Victor's positioning, vision, technique and relentless pressing mean that the youngster will fit in well with Hansi Flick’s Barcelona and as he continues to impress in pre-season, he might soon find himself playing a more prominent role in the upcoming season.
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