Tommy Marqués experienced the moment every Barcelona academy player dreams of when he made his first-team appearance at Camp Nou. He entered the game against Mallorca as a substitute for Fermín López with six minutes remaining, after Bernal had scored the third goal, closing a chapter that began in childhood.
Marqués joined Barcelona from Europa at the age of eight and was nineteen at the time of his debut. His development was not linear: a rapid growth phase caused physical problems and he suffered a serious knee injury that stalled his progression. The club maintained faith in him and sent him on loan to Damm during his first youth season, where he recovered his enjoyment of the game and regained form, enabling him to return to Barcelona earlier than expected, midway through the season.
After finishing his youth stage, Barcelona renewed his contract for three seasons in April 2025, extending it until 30 June 2028. This season he has established himself with Barcelona Atlètic, consolidating the trust the club placed in him.
Deco and Bojan, in the sporting department, identified Marqués as a player with distinct qualities and appealing characteristics, and recommended him to Hansi Flick. The German coach, who admires De Jong's style, liked what he saw and brought Tommy to train with the first team.
Flick had been searching for the right moment to hand Marqués his debut and was close to doing so on several occasions. In the Albacete match the plan was thwarted by match circumstances and an Araujo injury fifteen minutes from the end, preventing the substitution that night. In the Mallorca match Marqués finally made his official debut and was rewarded for his commitment and adaptation to first-team dynamics. After the game Flick indicated that the path to the first team is open for the next season.
The debut was also a big family occasion. His mother and one of his two sisters watched live from the Camp Nou stands, while his father and the other sister could not attend due to work. His father, Quim Marqués, runs a successful restaurant called Piropo in the Gràcia neighborhood, where the concept draws on 1980s dishes; one of Tommy's sisters helps manage the place. Quim previously worked on restoring traditional paella flavors at establishments such as Suquet de l'Almirall and led projects like Pepa Tomate and Santa Magdalena.
