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Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent
Girona coach Míchel has mentioned Lamine Yamal can attain Lionel Messi‘s degree after watching the Barcelona winger take his facet aside in Sunday’s Catalan derby at Montilivi.
Yamal, 17, scored twice as Barça won 4-1 to make it 5 wins from 5 in LaLiga this season, with Dani Olmo and Pedri additionally on course earlier than Cristhian Stuani netted a late comfort for Girona.
“Lamine is a difference-maker,” Míchel mentioned in a information convention. “For me, he’s already probably the greatest gamers on the earth at 17 years of age.
“It’s tough to think about that after Messi one other [like him] would come alongside, however I hope that Lamine retains enhancing as a result of he is a participant than can attain that degree.”
Yamal scored twice in seven first half minutes to successfully kill recreation earlier than the break, robbing David López to open the scoring on the half hour mark earlier than including his second with a well-taken end from the sting of the field.
The Spain worldwide now leads the league in purpose contributions this season with seven, forward of teammates Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, who’ve six and 5 respectively.
Previous to Sunday’s brace towards Girona, 4 of Yamal’s 5 purpose contributions had arrived through assists, with Barça coach Hansi Flick welcoming the addition of extra objectives to his recreation.
“I used to be actually joyful as a result of he scored the purpose,” Flick mentioned of his response to the opening purpose. “Lamine usually offers the final go and I used to be joyful that he scored at present.”
Yamal’s opening purpose got here through Barça’s excessive press, which significantly impressed Flick and has been a attribute of his workforce’s unbeaten begin to the brand new marketing campaign.
“We began the match very concentrated, very targeted and we pressed them actually good,” the German coach added.
“The primary purpose was unbelievable, actually good from Lamine [in the press], and we deserved the win and the outcome.
“We go now with the boldness now we have constructed up during the last matches, you may see it additionally at present, about our traces, about how we keep as a unit, very compact and really excessive.
“It is usually not simple to do that, however we all the time want stress on the ball and we did it good. I feel you may see the boldness now we have and, when now we have the ball, now we have the standard to play and to create probabilities.”
Olmo added the third with a surprising strike from a good angle earlier than Pedri made it 4-0 after amassing a Marc Casadó go and rounding the goalkeeper as Barça banished reminiscences of a 4-2 defeat at Montilivi which ended their slim title hopes on the finish of final season.
Nonetheless, the sport ended on a bitter word, with Stuani scoring a comfort for the house facet, Ferran Torres receiving a straight crimson card for a foul on Yáser Asprilla that can earn him a suspension and Olmo going off with an damage.
Flick mentioned Olmo will endure assessments on Monday to find out the character of the hamstring downside, however there’s optimism he won’t be sidelined for lengthy with Barça on account of kick off their Champions League marketing campaign at Monaco on Thursday earlier than a visit to Villarreal in LaLiga.
