Vincent Kompany Stunned by Lamine Yamal’s Rise at Barcelona
In a bold claim, former Manchester City and Belgian international Vincent Kompany has hailed 17-year-old Lamine Yamal as a potential successor to the great Lionel Messi, just two years after the Argentine left the club. Speaking ahead of Bayern Munich’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, Kompany lavished praise on Yamal’s incredible rise through the ranks at the Spanish giants.
"It’s exceptional for Barça as a club to have a player like Yamal so soon after Messi," Kompany said. "For my generation, Messi was one of the key figures of our era. To shortly after this player leaving already have potentially a player who can replace him is quite unique."
The 17-year-old, who has played over 60 times for Barça and scored five goals in the process, has already drawn comparisons to Messi and his incredible form has raised eyebrows across the football world. Complementing his impressive numbers, Yamal also played a key role in Spain’s European Championship victory this summer.
However, Kompany was quick to stress that his focus is on stopping the entire Barcelona team, not just one player. "The focus is on the team, not one player, but he’s an exceptional player," he emphasized.
Kompany, who took over at Bayern Munich in the summer, has made a promising start to his managerial career, leading the German giants to the top of the Bundesliga table. He also praised another 17-year-old sensation, right-back Pau Cubarsí, who has been impressing in the Barcelona defense.
"Cubarsí is one of the future defensive leaders in world football for sure," Kompany claimed. "He’s already a good player and if he can hopefully stay fit he will have a wonderful career."
As Bayern Munich prepares to face Barcelona in the Champions League, Kompany will be acutely aware of the threat posed by Yamal and Co. "Wednesday’s game at the Olympic Stadium will be a tough test for us, but I’m confident that our team is capable of rising to the challenge," he concluded.
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