BARCELONA • Lionel Messi's place in Barcelona folklore will forever be assured, but even their captain did not break into the Spanish La Liga champions' first team the way Ansu Fati has done.

Having already become their youngest scorer when he netted at Osasuna two weeks ago, the 16-year-old on Saturday night became the youngest player in league history to score and create a goal after inspiring Ernesto Valverde's men to a 5-2 thumping of Valencia.

He made it a Nou Camp debut to remember, opening the floodgates in just the second minute, before tearing their defence apart with a thrilling run before laying it off for summer signing Frenkie de Jong's maiden strike.

After the break, Gerard Pique and a brace from Luis Suarez further plunged Los Che, who replied through Kevin Gameiro and Maxi Gomez, into turmoil, with the visitors still reeling from last week's firing of popular coach Marcelino.

However, the talk was all about Fati. Such has been his impact in only three league games that Spain coach Robert Moreno was in the stands to monitor the teenage sensation, and he did not disappoint.

Afterwards, the La Roja boss admitted he was enraptured by Fati's display, revealing the Spanish Football Federation was fast-tracking his international eligibility.

Of the forward, who was born in Guinea-Bissau but moved to Spain when he was six, Moreno told reporters: "I'm not involved in the process but the federation are working on bringing Ansu into the Spain team and then it will be the player's decision."

While Barcelona coach Valverde also sought to play down the hype, which has already seen him being compared to Messi, he conceded Fati was "not normal".

The Spaniard added: "To get used to being a Barca player is work for anyone, even more so for a boy so young, but he's a balanced kid, he strikes me as being at ease.

"We know the balloon will start rising now, but we will deflate it, it is up to us to protect the player."

REUTERS