Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has played down comparisons with club legend Lionel Messi, saying he is focused solely on developing his own game as the Catalan giants chase European glory.
Yamal played a key role in helping Barcelona secure the Copa del Rey title on Saturday—the first piece of silverware in what could become a historic treble-winning season.
Now, with the Champions League semi-finals looming, Barcelona are aiming to reach their first final in 10 years. The last time they lifted the trophy was in 2015, with Messi at the heart of the squad.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final first leg against Inter Milan, Yamal addressed the inevitable comparisons with the Argentine icon.
“I don’t compare myself to Messi,” the young forward said. “He’s a legend of the club and the game. I just focus on improving and helping the team in my own way.”
Barcelona’s meeting with Inter at the Nou Camp marks their first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2019—also the last time they had Messi in the team.
Despite widespread power outages across Spain on Monday and Tuesday, UEFA confirmed the match will go ahead as planned. Barcelona’s training sessions and media conferences were held without disruption, and officials stated that the Nou Camp is fully prepared to host the high-stakes fixture.
