Despite their rich heritage, FC Barcelona has become synonymous with Lionel Messi ever since the Argentine maestro debuted for the Blaugrana in 2004. Widely regarded as the best football player of all time, Messi broke all kinds of records with the Spanish giants, eventually becoming their all-time goal scorer. While his unexpected departure from the club in 2021 has led to a major downfall for Barca, they seemed to have found an ideal replacement for Messi in the form of Lamine Yamal. In a recent discussion, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany praised Barcelona for finding a ‘second’ Lionel Messi so soon.
Vincent Kompany praises FC Barcelona for finding Messi’s replacement
Ahead of his side’s UCL clash against the Blaugrana, Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany addressed a press conference, congratulating his rivals on finding a Lionel Messi incarnate.
“It’s exceptional for Barca as a club [to have Yamal] so shortly after the departure of a player like Messi. For my generation, [Lionel] Messi was one of the key figures of our era,” Vincent Kompany stated, as per GOAL. “To shortly after this player leaving already have potentially a player who can replace him is quite unique. Full credit to La Masia for always trusting these players and giving them the chance.”
Despite acknowledging Yamal’s generational talent, the Belgian tactician emphasized that his main objective would be to neutralize all threats. “The question for us is not about stopping [Yamal], but trying to win a game against Barcelona, which means [stopping] all the players, not one,” Kompany explained. “The focus is on the team, not one player, but he’s an exceptional player.”
Lamine Yamal debuted for the five-time UCL champions in April 2023 at the age of 15. Since then, the youngster has made 63 appearances for Barcelona, netting 12 goals and recording 15 assists. In his brief career, Yamal has already managed to add a La Liga title and a UEFA Euros title (with Spain) to his trophy cabinet.