Fermin Lopez celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 during the pre-season friendly match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at AT&T Stadium on July 29, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)
Fermín López dazzles against Real Madrid
Fermin Lopez scores a goal past Thibaut Courtois during the second half of the pre-season friendly match at AT&T Stadium on July 29, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Barcelona could have found their next bright talent in Fermín López
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-0 in a preseason friendly in Arlington, Texas on Saturday afternoon. The lopsided score aside, the standout of the match has to go to the youngster Fermín López.
The 20-year-old came on a second-half substitute and it didn’t take long for López to make his presence felt.
After a giveaway from Toni Kroos, López took a few touches and a few feet from outside the box, thundered a shot past Thibaut Courtois to double Barcelona’s lead and all but put the game to rest. But he wasn’t done as in stoppage time, he lofted a pass over two Real Madrid defenders, putting Ferran Torres through on goal for Barcelona’s third.
It was a dream Clasico debut for López as despite it being a friendly, scoring and assisting a goal certainly meant a lot — it was evident given his reaction after both.
https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1685424788909543425
Understandably, López was very joyous after the game.
“The truth is that for me it’s like a dream, I still can’t believe it,” López said. “I’m happy with the work the team has done. It’s preseason and there’s still a lot to go but I’m happy I helped the team.
About his goal, López said he struck the ball “with all his soul” and it turned out well.
His rise to the first team is an interesting one as he didn’t play for Barça Atletic last season. Instead, he was loaned out to Linares Deportivo, who play in the third tier of Spanish football.
López returned ahead of this season and was one of the young players Xavi selected to travel with the team for their preseason tour in the United States. In the training sessions leading up to the tour, reports came out that he was impressing both the manager and teammates during those sessions.
Finding another creative-minded midfielder is in Xavi’s agenda. He may very well have found one in-house with López.
