Barcelona praised for already finding 'the next Lionel Messi' by Vincent Kompany
Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has compared the "exceptional" Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi ahead of his side's huge Champions League clash against Barcelona
by Matthew Cooper · The MirrorVincent Kompany believes Barcelona have already found the next Lionel Messi, with the Bayern Munich boss hailing Lamine Yamal as "exceptional".
Messi is one of the greatest footballers of all time and he won four Champions Leagues, ten LaLiga titles and 20 other major honours with Barcelona before his departure in 2021. Yamal, meanwhile, is the youngest ever Barcelona player, having made his senior debut at the age of 15 last year.
Since then, Yamal has starred for both Barcelona and Spain, notably playing a key role in their Euro 2024 triumph. And Kompany has lavished praise on the 17-year-old ahead of Bayern's clash with Barcelona in the Champions League.
"It's exceptional for Barca as a club [to have Yamal] so shortly after the departure of a player like Messi," Kompany said. "For my generation, Messi was one of the key figures of our era. To shortly after this player leaving already have potentially a player who can replace him is quite unique.
"Full credit to La Masia for always trusting these players and giving them the chance. The question for us is not about stopping [Yamal], but trying to win a game against Barcelona, which means [stopping] all the players, not one.
"The focus is on the team, not one player, but he's an exceptional player." Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently revealed that the club rejected a €250million (£207m) for the teenager over the summer.
When asked about the club's transfer business earlier this month, Laporta said: "There are those that think we have [transferred players] to balance the accounts. But that is not the case. The players that have left have left for sporting reasons.
Is Yamal the new Messi? Have your say in the comments section
"[Ousmane] Dembele, [Marc] Guiu... they won't have things as good as they did at Barca at any other club. We know what we are doing in the transfer market. We want those that are the best and who want to be here to stay – and we have shown that. A club came to me to sign Lamine for €250M and I said no."
Yamal has continued to impress this season, making 11 goal contributions in 12 appearances across all competitions with new boss Hansi Flick revitalising Barcelona after a disappointing campaign last season.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky Sports deal
Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package
£46 (was £56)
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.