Pau Cubarsi Reveals How Xavi Helped Him To Stop Osimhen In UCL Debut

Pau Cubarsi has been the talk of the football world after helping FC Barcelona to keep Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, silent during their UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg tie.

Coach Xavi Hernandez had to start Pau Cubarsi in defense against a proven striker like Victor Osimhen during the must-win encounter because of the injury woes at the club.

To the surprise of most football enthusiasts, the 17-year-old FC Barcelona football academy graduate made the game too difficult for 25-year-old Victor Osimhen.

The reigning African Player of the Year winner managed to make just a shot throughout the game and was caught offside four times as he failed to score against the Spanish giants.

His inability to function in the game made it easier for Barcelona to torment Napoli to the extent that the reigning Italian Serie A champions conceded two goals within three minutes in the first half.

Robert Lewandowski sealed the 4-2 aggregate win for Barcelona in the last ten minutes of the encounter as Napoli were kicked out of the Champions League by an injury-infested Barca squad.

Pau Cubarsi was so good in the game that he didn’t only stop Osimhen from scoring, but he contributed to the team’s attack by sending in long passes from the back.

At the end of the game, Pau Cubarsi became the first teenage player to win the Man of the Match award in his UEFA Champions League debut.

After the game, the 17-year-old Spanish center-back told reporters, “Xavi (Barcelona coach) gave me all the details to try and stop Osimhen.”