FC Barcelona Legend Rivaldo Sends Warning To Flick And Puts Lamine On Mbappe’s Level

FC Barcelona legend Rivaldo fired a warning to the club's current coach Hansi Flick and put Lamine Yamal in the same category as Real Madrid rivals Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe.

Flick currently has Barca top of the La Liga table three points clear of Los Blancos. But as Rivaldo explained, he will ultimately be judged on how much silverware he brings home.

"It's just that in big teams like Barca everything depends on the results. It is true that Flick's Barca are performing phenomenally," Rivaldo said.

"But there is a lot of [football] ahead. A lot of Champions League, a lot of La Liga, the Cup.

"I would be prudent and wait until the end of the season," the Brazilian demanded, when invited to judge Flick's work. "If you don't win a title in Barcelona, the fans and the press will criticise you".

"At Barca it is only important to reach the finals and win titles. If you don't bring a title, the fans and the press question you. But having said that... I see a different Barca to last season and I think they already have everything they need to win important titles. But we have to wait."

On Lamine Yamal, Rivaldo called him a "great player" who he admires "because he has personality despite being young".

"He already has a very, very high level. I think he is already at the level of Mbappe and Vinicius," the 2002 World Cup winner added, regarding a "differential footballer for the future".

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With the right winger still aged just 17, Rivaldo predicted him to go "very far".

"You see Yamal and he plays with joy, he enjoys football. If you add to him the fact that he has already won the European Championship, it makes him a differential player for the future I am convinced," Rivaldo insisted.

Despite this, the 1999 recipient of the most prestigious individual trophy in football thinks it is too early for Lamine to scoop the Ballon d'Or, with this year's edition set to crown compatriot Vinicius as the world's greatest player he believes.