When Lamine Yamal glided previous two Actual Madrid defenders earlier than coolly tucking the ball simply contained in the put up, it was arduous to not get a shiver that Lionel Messi was again in a Barcelona shirt.
He nonetheless wears dental braces, however Barcelona’s teenage phenom has emerged as his opponents’ No. 1 drawback because of his pace, creativity, and beautiful objectives from Messi’s previous spot on the precise flank.
Yamal has run amok in back-to-back five-goal blowouts for Barcelona. He led its humiliation of Madrid 5-2 within the Spanish Tremendous Cup ultimate final weekend and helped demolish Actual Betis 5-1 within the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
But, past the objectives, it’s his grace with the ball that’s conjuring up comparisons to Barcelona’s best participant. Yamal, like Messi, makes it look really easy as he flicks previous defenders who at all times appear only one, or two, steps too sluggish. In addition they share an unimaginable scoring contact with their left foot, whether or not scoring highly effective strikes from distance or making use of a finesse end amid visitors as Yamal did in opposition to Madrid on Sunday.
“After Lionel Messi, he’s our greatest participant,” Barcelona midfielder Gavi stated about Yamal after the ahead recorded an help and scored the fifth purpose to spherical out the beating of Betis.
Yamal has rewritten the information books for his precociousness, turning into La Liga’s youngest scorer when he was 16. He additionally grew to become Spain’s youngest scorer within the historical past of final summer season’s European Championship, the place he additionally scored the purpose of the match within the semifinals earlier than his group gained the ultimate over England.
This season, Yamal leads La Liga with 9 assists of his 13 total, to go along with 9 objectives throughout all competitions.
Yamal can be a significant cause why assault companions Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have mixed for 46 objectives. His passing makes the assault click on and, as he typically attracts two defenders, he opens up areas for teammates.
“I’ve loved Lamine for years, and now everyone seems to be doing the identical. He deserves (the reward) he’s getting,” stated middle again Pau Cubarsí, who can be 17 and one other piece of Hansi Flick’s rejuvenated Barcelona.
Cubarsí credited the winter break for serving to Barcelona begin 2025 in high-quality trend. The group hit a tough patch in late November and December after a spectacular begin to the marketing campaign and suffered almost inexplicable losses at dwelling to minnows Las Palmas and Leganes.
That dip let an in-form Atletico Madrid take the lead of the home league. Barcelona is six factors adrift of Atletico in third place. Madrid is second at one level again.
Barcelona visits Getafe on Saturday. Three days later it visits Benfica in Portugal because it resumes the Champions League group section sitting second within the standings behind Liverpool.
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Lamine Yamal
Lionel Messi
FC Barcelona
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