"I say that because I watched him" - Fabio Capello slams comparisons between Barcelona star and Lionel Messi, calls them 'exaggerated'
Italian coach Fabio Capello shut down comparisons of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal with Lionel Messi ahead of the Catalans facing Inter Milan in the Champions League. The two clubs are set to meet in the tournament's semi-finals, with the first leg scheduled on April 30.
Much like Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal rose through the ranks of Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia. He made his senior team debut in April 2023 in LaLiga and quickly rose to prominence at the club. Yamal's prolific dribbling skills and playmaking have often drawn comparisons to the legendary Argentine. The 17-year-old is also a primarily left-footed right winger, a position Messi mastered in his career.
Despite many hailing Yamal as one of the most promising talents in football, Fabio Capello remains unconvinced about the youngster being likened to Messi. In an interview with Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Real Madrid and AC Milan boss said (via Reshad Rahman on X):
"Yamal is not Messi! I've read exaggerated comparisons about Lamine. It's true that he's a Ballon d'Or candidate and seems humble, but Messi was unique at 16, and I say that because I watched him. If Inter can stop Messi in 2010, they can stop Lamine."
In the 2009-10 season, Jose Mourinho-led Inter Milan faced Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The Catalans lost 3-2 on aggregate to get knocked out of the tournament, while Nerazzurri went on to win the title that season.
Lionel Messi notably did not score in either of the semi-final legs, explaining why Capello mentioned Inter were able to "stop" the legendary forward. Barcelona will hope to change the result in the semi-finals this time, having qualified for this stage after six years.
"Just like I did" - Lionel Messi waxes lyrical about Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal
In an interview with Simplemente Futbol (h/t Barca Universal), Lionel Messi heaped praise on Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal. The legendary Argentine believed he would continue to grow, like he did at his age. Messi said:
"It’s impressive what Lamine Yamal is showing, what he’s doing and what he’s already done. He’s already been a Euro Cup champion with Spain. He’s only 17 years old, he’s in the middle of a growth process, and he’ll continue to grow as a player and contribute things to his game, just like I did. He has incredible qualities and is already one of the best players in the world."
Lamine Yamal has contributed 14 goals and 21 assists in 45 appearances across competitions for Barcelona. His number of assists shows how the Spanish youngster can create an impact in a match without being on the scoresheet.
The same can be said about Lionel Messi, who is unarguably considered the greatest Blaugrana legend of all time. However, Yamal has a long way to go before he can come close to matching Messi's legacy.