Lamine Yamal: The 17-Year-Old Winger Who’s Already on Messi’s Level
Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old Barcelona winger, is on a roll. The young star has started the new LaLiga season in scintillating fashion, and his coach, Míchel, is already tipping him to reach the level of the great Lionel Messi.
Yamal scored twice in the Catalan derby against Girona, taking his side apart with his pace and skill. The Spain international now leads the league in goal contributions with seven, ahead of his teammates Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.
But what’s even more impressive is the way Yamal has adapted his game to include more goals. Prior to Sunday’s brace, four of his five goal contributions had arrived via assists. His coach, Hansi Flick, was delighted to see him score, saying, "I was really happy because he scored the goal. Lamine normally gives the last pass and I was happy that he scored today."
Flick also praised Barça’s high press, which has been a key factor in their unbeaten start to the season. "We started the match very concentrated, very focused and we pressed them really good," he said. "The first goal was unbelievable, really good from Lamine [in the press], and we deserved the win and the result."
Yamal’s opening goal came via Barça’s high press, which particularly impressed Flick. The German coach added, "We always need pressure on the ball and we did it good. I think you can see the confidence we have and, when we have the ball, we have the quality to play and to create chances."
The win over Girona was a statement of intent from Barça, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing season last year. They’ve started the new campaign with five wins from five, and Yamal’s form is a key factor in their success.
But it’s not all good news for Barça. Ferran Torres will miss the next game after receiving a straight red card for a foul on Yáser Asprilla, and Dani Olmo is set to undergo tests on Monday to determine the nature of his hamstring problem.
Despite these setbacks, Barça are looking to kick off their Champions League campaign at Monaco on Thursday before a trip to Villarreal in LaLiga. With Yamal in form, they’ll be confident of making a strong start to the season.
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