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Xavi warned to compare Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi after the 16-year-old signed a new long-term contract with Barcelona on Monday.
Barca will face Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday at the Estádio do Dragão, the stadium where Messi made his non-competitive debut for the Catalan club just 20 years ago.
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However, Xavi refused to link Yamal’s emergence to Messi’s in 2003, saying it had not worked out very well for those who had been compared to the Argentine striker in the past.
“I hope Lamine can mark an era [in football], but we are doing him a favour by saying it,” the Barca coach told a news conference, when asked about comparisons with Messi.
“It’s true that the expectations are huge and, at 16 years old, he’s playing at a brutal level, which is incredibly positive. But let’s see what the long term holds for us without comparing him to Messi. It hasn’t gone very well all the time.
Yamal has made appearances for Barca in all competitions this season and scored the winning goal, an own goal from Sergio Ramos, in Friday’s 1-0 win over Sevilla in La Liga.
On Monday he signed a new contract until 2026 (the longest contract he can sign until he turns 18) and on Wednesday he could become the youngest player to score in the Champions League.
That record is currently held by Ansu Fati, who was 17 when he scored for Barca against Inter in 2019, meaning Yamal has the entire season to beat that record, as his birthday is only in July.
Another youngster who has caused a sensation at Barça this season is Fermin Lopez. The 20-year-old was on loan last season at third-division side Linares but has stood out from the bench in the last two games against Mallorca, when he scored, and Sevilla.
With Pedri and Frenkie de Jong injured, Xavi said the midfielder is fit to make his first competitive debut for Barca.
“Fermin is part of the first team,” Xavi added. “He’s earned it. I like it a lot. It’s been a blast for everyone this season. “
“It can help us a lot. If he believes in himself, he can be a player for this club for a long time. He’s fit to start games. “
Barca won their first Champions League game this season 5-0 against Antwerp, while Porto, their warring sides this week, opened with a 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Xavi is set to knock Barca out of the organisational level for the first time since 2020, but his side face a tough test against Porto, who lost to runners-up Inter Milan in the round of 16 last season.
“It’s the opposite of a team with a coach like Sérgio Conceição, who does things very well,” said the Barça coach. “They’re a historic opponent who have been playing for the Champions League for years.
“They like to have the ball and physically they are strong. We have to pay attention to the details, but when we were brave, things went well. We want to be more concerned defensively. “