Gariba made his UEFA Youth League debut for Barcelona against PSG
Barcelona may have unearthed a defensive gem in Hafiz Gariba, the 18-year-old Ghanaian centre-back who made his UEFA Youth League debut on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, and delivered a performance full of maturity and composure against Paris Saint-Germain U-19.
Standing at 1.90m, Gariba combined his ball-playing ability with physical dominance, superb positioning, and composure under pressure.
Despite being just a teenager, he looked every inch a modern Barcelona defender, dictating play from the back and winning key duels throughout the match.
The game itself was far from straightforward. Barça went down to ten men after Alex Campos was sent off in the 24th minute, and PSG took the lead just before half-time through Zayon Chtai-Telamio.
Ghana defender Hafiz Gariba signs for Barcelona youth team
But the young Blaugrana refused to fold. When PSG were also reduced to ten men, the comeback began.
Shane Kluivert struck in the 67th minute to equalise, before Xavi Espart fired Barca ahead six minutes later. The Catalans held firm, claiming a 2–1 victory to make it two wins from two in the group stage.
For Gariba, the night was more than the result they got. It marked a breakthrough moment in his Barcelona journey.
Having joined the Barça B team in February 2025 from the Marcet Soccer School, where his talent had already attracted top clubs, he has quickly grown into one of the most promising young defenders in the setup.
Left-footed but also comfortable on his right, with excellent vision and passing range, he fits the mold of the centre-backs Barcelona traditionally prize.
His debut against PSG showed that the hype is not misplaced. Calm under pressure, strong in aerial duels, and confident with the ball,
Gariba looked like a player ready to climb the ranks.
Watch the video below:
Ball-playing, solid height, superb vision, and pace. Barcelona might just have a generational centre-back in Hafiz Gariba. 🇬🇭
The 18-year-old made his UEFA Youth League debut and absolutely bossed it at the back.
— Joseph Ayinga-Walter (@AyingaWalter) October 1, 2025
FKA/JE
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