"They are completely different" - Barcelona star not interested in comparing Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal; highlights key reason for his opinion
Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has downplayed comparisons between Lionel Messi and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal in an interview. The Spanish teenager has been hailed as the heir to Messi's throne at the club following his emergence as a rare talent in the last 18 months.
Still only 17, Yamal has won the Young Player of the Tournament award at the Euros, Golden Boy, and the Kopa Trophy, and was in the top 10 of the 2024 Ballon d'Or rankings. The youngster has reached double figures for goals and assists this season, and has been widely praised as the 'new Messi'.
Szczesny spoke about the comparison of the youngster to Lionel Messi, pointing out that they are two completely different players. He said (via barcauniversal.com) that Yamal cannot match Messi's incredible goalscoring numbers, but can affect games more with his creativity.
"Do I see similarities between Messi and Lamine Yamal? No, they are completely different players, and there’s no reason to compare them. I don’t see Lamine scoring 50 goals a season like Messi, but he’s incredibly dangerous in one-on-one situations. His best trait is his understanding of the game and delivering key passes at the perfect time," he said.
Lamine Yamal has scored 12 goals and provided 17 assists for La Blaugrana in 37 appearances across all competitions this season. The youngster's displays have put his side in a good position to challenge for honours on multiple fronts this season.
Hansi Flick has found a way to get the best out of Yamal, whose consistency surpasses that of Lionel Messi during his teenage years at Barcelona. The youngster has Messi's old number 19 shirt, and may soon pick up the number 10 shirt, based on his displays for the club.
Barcelona keen to avoid Lionel Messi issue with Yamal: Reports
Barcelona are reportedly keen to avoid a repeat of the mistakes they made with Lionel Messi in negotiating a new deal for Lamine Yamal. The Spanish giants are looking to extend the contract of the 17-year-old phenom and keep him at the club for as long as possible.
In 2021, Barcelona and Messi agreed to a new deal but things went south quickly as the club's debts meant they could not afford to offer him a contract. The club's greatest player was, thus, forced to leave the club as a free agent, joining Paris Saint-Germain.
Yamal has a contract in place until 2026 but the club are keen to tie him down to a longer deal. AS reports that a clause exists in his present deal that will see them automatically extend his deal until 2030, but both parties are eager to finalize talks over his extension.
