‘Leo is Leo’… Former Barcelona captain discourages Yamal comparisons with Lionel Messi | OneFootball

The win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday was the latest proof of the high confidence that Hansi Flick has put in the FC Barcelona academy. As already reported, up to nine players from La Masia participated for the Blaugranes in this game, with six of them starting the match.

The most prominent of these youth academy graduates was one again Lamine Yamal, who also got one assist in this game. This was not the best of games for Yamal, as Raphinha got most of the spotlight for his hat trick, but the youngster still showed some good skills in this game.

Still, there is no doubt that he is having a very good start to the 2024-25 season, in which he has already scored five goals and provided seven assists in thirteen games. His performances at the age of only 17 years have naturally invited some comparisons with the Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.

The latest individual to address these comparisons was the former Barcelona captain and full-back, Jordi Alba, who is currently playing with Messi in Inter Miami. The Spaniard answered some questions as he appeared in an interview ahead of the start of the MLS Cup Playoffs, where his Inter Miami side is set to face Atalanta United in the quarter-finals of the Eastern Conference.

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As MARCA has reported, the defender praised Yamal, but did not believe he was as good as Messi:

“When I was at Barça, he was already training occasionally with the first team, and he even debuted in a match against Betis. It’s clear that he’s grown tremendously—he’s just 17, and what he’s doing is incredible. He needs support, and the people there are doing a great job with him.”

“We need to be patient and not compare him to anyone, because in the end, Leo is Leo, and there’s no one else like him. But I think he’s having a great season, taking on responsibilities that aren’t easy at 17, and that deserves a lot of credit. I hope he continues to learn and enjoy football.”

There is no doubt that there is some merit in Alba’s words, as Yamal still has a very long way to go before he can emulate Messi on the field. However, his start has been very encouraging, and hopefully, he will be able to write another glorious chapter in the Catalan club’s history, just as Messi did.