Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez praised “fearless” 15-year-old winger Lamine Yamal after together with him within the squad for the primary time, to face Atletico Madrid on Sunday in La Liga.
The Spanish ahead is the youngest ever to enter a Barcelona squad for an official sport.
Yamal, who has performed for Spain U17s, has developed in Barcelona’s feted La Masia youth academy.
“Everyone in the squad list has the chance of playing,” stated Xavi, who may make Yamal the youngest Barcelona participant of all time.
“He’s a player who can help us because he is talented, he’s very young, 15, in July he turns 16. He’s got a lot of personality, talent, he can play the final ball, take players on, he’s strong, we’re talking about a player who can mark an era at the club. I’ve spoken to him and he’s content, grateful, and happy.”
The coach stated it was onerous to match him to different gamers and that Yamal has no concern.
“He’s an innate talent, the new generations, the difference with my era is that they have no fear,” stated Xavi. “Lamine is different … he has attributes from various players, I don’t see a comparison.”
Xavi was additionally capable of embody midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong within the squad after harm. Ousmane Dembele and Andreas Christensen will not be but able to play, however Xavi confirmed their returns have been shut.
The coach additionally responded to criticism from a few of his complaints after final Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Getafe in La Liga. Xavi stated his gamers didn’t like taking part in within the afternoon solar because it dried out the pitch, and the grass was too lengthy.
“I won’t change my mind, however many memes they make. In golf, if the grass is not good, they don’t play. In tennis, if it rains, they stop. If it’s wet where LeBron James is throwing, they mop it. I could fill the pitch with puddles, who would that benefit? I won’t shut up,” stated Xavi.
“For me, the surface is fundamental. And for the spectacle, if we say youngsters aren’t watching whole games, that’s normal.”
Xavi stated he was not solely complaining as a result of his staff drew, and that he would even have accomplished so with a victory.
“If we want a spectacle, we have to look after the playing surface. Yes, the sun hurts us, because it dries out the pitch, we don’t like playing with sun,” he added.
“If tomorrow they make 200 thousand more memes, I don’t care, I won’t stop complaining.”
Barcelona is 11 factors clear on the high of La Liga however after two consecutive attracts, faces a troublesome conflict with Diego Simeone’s in-form Atletico in one other afternoon kick-off.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com