Dani Olmo time: the end of a 16-year odyssey to score for Barcelona | Sid Lowe

Against Rayo, Barça’s recent arrival completed 21 passes, three dribbles, six progressions, three shots and one dream

Dani Olmo stood there tapping his wrist. What time do you call this? It was 11.20pm on 27 August 2024, 81 minutes and 35 seconds into the third game of the season: Olmo time. His shot, left-footed, settled in the bottom corner and Barcelona had their third win of the season, their first in Vallecas since Lionel Messi. As for Olmo, making his debut as a second-half substitute, this was a dream: a first goal for the club he joined at nine. And all it had taken was two touches: one to control the ball and another to guide it past the goalkeeper he played with as a kid back in Terrassa.

Well, that and 16 years. A decade away from home. A decision nobody else would have taken. A journey across three countries, setting off early and alone. More than 300 games. Five league titles. Three cups. An Olympic final. The Euros. His Euros. A clause. Then another one. €55m, seven more to come. Ilkay Gündogan to be given away. Clement Lenglet, Vitor Roque and Mika Faye to go. Nico Williams to stay. An injury to Andreas Christensen. Three doctors, a second opinion and article 77. A bench, a referee, a crossbar. And then two touches. “He waited a long time to score his first for Barça,” coach Hansi Flick said. Ten long years and three unexpectedly long weeks.

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