. ▁ ▁Club ▁career ▁ ▁Barcelona ▁▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Sant ped or , ▁Barcelona , ▁Catal onia , ▁Guard i ola ▁joined ▁La ▁Mas ia ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 3 ▁and ▁rose ▁through ▁the ▁ranks ▁of ▁Barcelona ' s ▁youth ▁a cademy ▁for ▁six ▁years , ▁making ▁his ▁début ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁against ▁C ád iz . ▁As ▁Phil ▁Ball ▁writes ▁in ▁Mor bo , ▁▁ ▁Cru y ff ▁util ised ▁the ▁young ▁mid f iel der ▁in ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁the ▁susp ended ▁Gu ill ermo ▁Am or . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁first - team ▁regular ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 – 9 2 ▁season , ▁and ▁at ▁only ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁old ▁was ▁a ▁key ▁component ▁of ▁a ▁side ▁that ▁won ▁La ▁Liga ▁and ▁the ▁European ▁Cup . ▁The ▁pr estig ious ▁Italian ▁magazine ▁Guer in ▁Sport ivo ▁her ald ed ▁Guard i ola ▁as ▁the ▁fin est ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁under ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 1 . ▁Cru y ff ' s ▁" D ream ▁Team " ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁retain ▁La ▁Liga ▁title ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 – 9 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 3 – 9 4 ▁seasons . ▁The ▁side ▁was ▁strength ened ▁by ▁the ▁recent ▁signing ▁of ▁Rom ário , ▁again ▁reached ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁UEFA ▁Champions ▁League ▁Final , ▁but ▁were ▁be aten ▁ 4 – 0 ▁by ▁Fab io ▁Cap ello ' s ▁Milan ▁side ▁in ▁Ath ens .