Barcelona ace praises Lamine Yamal, also talks connection with Pedri and Raphinha | OneFootball

One of the best things in this current Barcelona team is the mixing of both youngsters and veterans. For Hansi Flick, it is important to always value meritocracy no matter what the age of a player is. Thanks to that consistency, this Barcelona team has seemingly combined the best of both worlds.

With young stars like Pedri continuously delivering world-class performances, and veterans like Wojciech Szczesny becoming undisputed starters for the team, it is clear to see that balance. However, it is also important for the older players to look after their younger teammates as much as possible.

Even in a recent interview, as highlighted by SPORT, Barcelona ace Robert Lewandowski spoke about 17-year-old winger Lamine Yamal and why he thinks that the youngster’s environment is crucial for his development:

“His environment is crucial, and he shouldn’t think about what will happen in two or three years but focus on being at the highest level in ten years.”

Furthermore, the 36-year-old Polish striker also warned about the various external factors that can also impact a player’s development and why Yamal’s decisions in the near future have to be mindful of his future:

“Money can also weaken a player. We’re human. And let’s not forget about external stimuli. When I started, it was different. You’d wait until Monday for the newspaper to come out, and that was it. The internet was still in its infancy and worked differently. That’s why, even though Lamine’s talent is undeniable, a series of decisions made by him and his environment are key for him to still want more in ten years.”

However, Lewandowski made sure to also give credit to his Barcelona teammate, confessing that he managed to initially impress him a lot as well:

“I admit, it’s rare for someone to impress me, and this was the first time a kid made such an impression on me. Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone like him. It’s not just talent, but the way he plays as if he’s five or seven years older.”

He previously confessed about being impressed with the player when talking to Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand as well, and he continues to stand by those words. In this particular interview, however, he also spoke about the player’s current development and overall progression as a footballer:

“He’s starting to learn quickly. Compared to his first year when he started playing at Barcelona, it’s much easier to play with him now; I understand everything much better. I see that he’s also getting better at understanding football. It’s much easier to explain tactical issues to him.”

However, when it comes to youngsters at Barcelona, Lewandowski does believe that they can sometimes end up interpreting things wrongly as well:

“Many young players at Barça think that someone on the field didn’t do something right in a given situation, when in reality, they were the ones who made the mistake. What prevails is a hot head, not tactical knowledge. They look at things wrong, they see things wrong. That’s why we have conversations because sometimes you just need to correct them.”

Lamine Yamal, on the other hand, is someone that Lewandowski believes is much more mature in that regard and picks things up more easily. The Barcelona ace also confessed that he felt a solid connection with the young winger as well:

“On the other hand, he (Yamal) picks things up quickly. It’s hard to explain, but there’s an internal connection between players that you can’t see, but it exists. And I’m starting to feel something similar for Yamal.”

However, Yamal was not the only one that the Polish veteran confessed about building a connection with, and highlighted two other Barcelona players as well:

“Not just with him, but also with Pedri, and Raphinha. Every match, we understand each other better. He (Raphinha) passes the ball with such power, so hard that sometimes there’s no time to react. I tell him, ‘Rapha, it’s better to play lighter, but precise’, because even if you make a great pass but it’s too strong, it’s hard for the attacker to control.”

All in all, this interview just highlights the maturity and wisdom that Lewandowski can share with his younger teammates. As one of the sport’s best goal scorers of all time, and competing with the best of the best even now, the Barcelona forward has an endless pool of knowledge and experience that can be worthwhile for his other teammates to learn from.