Following Lamine Yamal's record-breaking debut for the Catalan giants, Barcelona manager Xavi compared the former to Lionel Messi.
On Saturday night, Yamal made history by becoming the youngest player to have ever played for Barça in La Liga. He did it by coming off the bench to contribute to the rout of Real Betis 4-0 at Camp Nou.
When he took Gavi's place with just over five minutes remaining in the game, Yamal, who was only 15 years old, broke the previous record held by Ansu Fati. During his brief cameo, Yamal looked good.
The young Spaniard's promotion to first team play at such an early age has unavoidably raised concerns about his potential, but Xavi's post-match comments suggest there is a lot of hope for Yamal's future.
"I told him to try things, and he did," Xavi told the media. "Just try to picture that at fifteen...He is exceptional, and tonight he had a chance to score, but [Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva] made a stop.
"He displayed his character and played with assurance. He is fearless and extremely talented. His passes in the last third were some of the best.
Xavi didn't back down from his admiration of Yamal and said the 15-year-old might usher in a new era at the club when asked if he could be compared to Fati or even the famous Lionel Messi.
"He's a similar player because he has that innate talent in the final third, which is difficult to find," Xavi said.
"Lamine appears to be much older than his age of fifteen. He is well-trained and prepared to play. As a member of this team, he can usher in a new era at the club.
Yamal, who has the chance to represent all three countries at the international level, was born in Spain to an Equatorial Guinean mother and a Moroccan father. He currently plays for Spain and has played all the way up to the Under-19 level.
Yamal, a naturally left-footed right winger, previously played as a central striker but eventually moved out wide due to his amazing dribbling skills. That is the quality that has most impressed Barcelona's coaches and scouts, which inevitably brought about the aforementioned Messi comparisons.
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