As Manchester United prepare for their Champions League semi-final with Barcelona, Euroscout decided to cast an eye over the Catalans' 17-year-old striking sensation Bojan Krkic in the weekend game against Espanyol.

Krkic, who elected to represent Spain at junior level despite his father's Serbian heritage, is enjoying his first season in Barcelona's first team after a record-breaking stint in the club's youth teams that saw him clock up 961 goals in seven years.

Injuries to heralded attacking foursome Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry have given him the chance to shine, and he has responded with eight league goals in 26 matches.

In previous games he has started as the central striker in a front three, but in Saturday's derby he began the match on the left with Eto'o in the centre and fellow teenager Giovani Dos Santos on the opposite flank.

Bojan's first involvement in the game saw him win a corner in the third minute, and on 16 minutes he came close to getting a touch on an inswinging free-kick from midfielder Xavi.

Moments later he registered his first effort on goal, stepping inside his man on the left-hand corner of the penalty area before driving a low, right-footed effort wide of the near post.

The youngster popped up on the right wing towards the end of the first period, nearly surprising visiting goalkeeper Carlos Kameni with a cross towards the near post on 33 minutes and seeing another centre headed away shortly afterwards.

Frustrated at the 0-0 scoreline, Barca boss Frank Rijkaard introduced Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta at half-time, but Bojan kept his place on the left.

Four minutes into the second period he had a shot deflected over the bar for a corner, before failing to anticipate a pass from Messi that would have put him through on goal.

Twenty minutes from time he set in motion an attack down the Barca left which culminated in Messi being crowded out on the edge of the Espanyol penalty area, and on 78 minutes he was inches away from getting a touch on a low cross from the left by Eto'o.

With just over five minutes remaining he produced a backheel into the box that none of his team-mates were able to anticipate, and in the last minute his last meaningful contribution was an unsuccessful dribble into the box from the left.

Bojan resembles Messi in many ways. Both players are short and slight, but blessed with superb close control, great pace and an eye for goal.

Bojan likes to cut inside from the flank onto his stronger right foot, and when presented with a sight of goal he prefers placement over power, with the disguised near-post sidefoot one of his favourite finishes.

Unlike Messi he considers himself a goalscorer rather than a winger, and his intelligent movement and unhurried finishing mark him out as a player blessed with all the hallmarks of a prolific striker.

Tom Williams / Eurosport