Would be among youngest LaLiga players
Barça coach Xavi has nominated the 15-year-old offensive talent Lamine Yamal for the upcoming LaLiga game against Atlético Madrid. If the youth international, who is mostly on the wing in the U19s and will take a seat on the bench, actually gets a chance on Sunday, he would be among the youngest players ever to play in the Spanish league.
“Lamine is different,” said coach Xavi at the press conference ahead of FC Barcelona’s game against Atllético on Saturday (quoted via “Mundo Deportivo”). Just as Pedri (20) reminds him of his former team-mate Andrés Iniesta, accents of other famous players can also be found in Yamal, but Xavi wanted to emphasize above all that the youngster is “not afraid” and is otherwise unlike anyone else.
Yamal has been training with the pros for a while and is now part of the Barça pros’ matchday squad for the first time. A Sunday appearance would make him the second youngest player to appear in a LaLiga game in nearly 40 years. In all, only four players in league history are listed in the TM database who were 15 years old when they debuted. The youngest was RCD Mallorca’s Luka Romero against Real Madrid almost three years ago. On July 13 Yamal will be 16 years old.
“He’s a player who can help us because he’s talented,” Xavi continued about his protégé. “He has a lot of personality, is good in one-on-ones, on the last pass. I am convinced that he can help us. I spoke to him and he is very grateful.”
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