There will never be another Lionel Messi, but that hasn’t stopped many comparing Barcelona’s 16-year-old sensation, Lamine Yamal, to him.
Those comparisons went through the roof after the history-making teenager scored a goal against Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night which mirrored some of the Argentine’s best efforts for the Catalan giants.
Lamine Yamal just scored this goal in Copa del Rey.
16 year old guy ? @RFEFpic.twitter.com/fcilPATBOO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 24, 2024
Despite being the youngest player on the pitch at San Mames, he was a constant thorn in the side of the opposition and Barca’s major threat in a match that they eventually lost after extra time.
The Spanish cup represented Barca’s best chance of silverware this season, and Xavi will know that he now has an uphill battle to hang on to his job.
Out of form and out of sorts in the league, Barca have a mountain to climb to overhaul the teams above them, and they’re nowhere close to being a major contender for the Champions League.
That opens up the possibility of some of the Catalan club’s major stars being sold, given Barca’s perilous financial position too.
According to Fichajes, Liverpool are looking to Yamal to become Mo Salah’s long-term replacement at Liverpool, but they will face stiff competition for his services from Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Joan Laporta will surely be keen to hold onto a player that could be key to his club’s future success, but the market might dictate otherwise.