"He’s like Messi; does he surprise me? No" - LaLiga manager makes bold claims about Barcelona star
Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde was full of praise for Barcelona's emerging superstar Lamine Yamal after his goal earned the Catalan giants a 2-1 win over the Basque outfit on Saturday (August 24). The 60-year-old claimed that he saw shades of Barca legend Lionel Messi in the La Masia graduate, saying that the tricky forward could 'dribble past anyone'.
In the 24th minute of the game, a free-kick was punched out by Athletic keeper Alex Padilla, with the ball falling straight to Yamal at the edge of the box. Despite being closed down by his close friend Nico Williams, he shuffled the ball onto his left foot and unleashed a curling effort into the back of the net.
Valverde's side provided a twist in the tale, with Oihan Sancet scoring a penalty (42') to even the scoreline. However, Barca would have the last laugh, with Polish sharpshooter Robert Lewandowski, who had already hit the woodwork multiple times, grabbing the winner (75').
After the game, Valverde was asked about the ever-impressive Yamal. The tactician drew comparisons between the 17-year-old and Messi, saying (via Barca Universal):
"Lamine Yamal. He’s like Messi. Does he surprise me? No. Everyone knows how good he is. He can dribble past anyone."
Yamal enjoyed a breakout season in the 2023-24 campaign under former manager Xavi. At the tender age of 16, he made 50 appearances across all competitions, racking up seven goals and nine assists.
He also played a vital role in Spain's EURO 2024 triumph, being named the Young Player of the Tournament for bagging a goal and four assists in seven games. After starting the 2024-25 season on a high, Yamal will be hoping to continue his good form in Barcelona's upcoming LaLiga fixture against Rayo Vallecano (August 27).
"The Barca style is always noticeable" - Ernesto Valverde praises Barcelona boss Hansi Flick's tactics after 2-1 defeat
Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde commended new Barcelona manager Hansi Flick for inculcating the 'Barca style' in his own system. The Spaniard lavished praise on the German tactician after the Catalan giants' 2-1 win over his side.
Speaking to the press after the game, Valverde, who managed the Blaugrana between 2017 and 2020, said (via Barca Universal):
"In the end, the Barca style is always noticeable, but you can see key differences between managers. Today, you can see that Flick was practically playing with two strikers, and Raphinha as a midfielder."
While Pau Cubarsi did concede a penalty which was duly converted by Oihan Sancet in the 42nd minute, Valverde reserved special praise for the young defender. He said:
"We wanted to stop Barca from playing from the back but it was almost impossible because Pau Cubarsi didn’t miss a single pass."
Despite being 17 years of age, Cubarsi and star forward Lamine Yamal are believed to be key members in Flick's Barcelona squad in their 2024-25 campaign.