Is He the Genuine Successor to Messi and Ronaldo?

The debate continues: Is this player a mere pretender to the legacy left by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, or does he genuinely belong in their elite company?

Strong Starting Lineup for Barcelona

The true measure of his potential will only become clear with time, but he has certainly made strides in quieting his detractors. On the previous Tuesday, Barcelona visited Albacete for a Copa del Rey quarter-final showdown.

Under normal circumstances, the Catalans would be considered the favorites; however, after witnessing Albacete eliminate Real Madrid in the previous round and Celta Vigo before that, it became apparent that this match would be anything but straightforward for Barcelona.

Complacency could have proven detrimental, so Barcelona needed to approach the game with the seriousness it demanded to advance to the semi-finals.

Hansi Flick fielded a robust starting XI, featuring talents like Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Marcus Rashford, indicating that the team understood the importance of respecting their opponents.

Stunning First Goal of the Match

Although the visitor’s impressive 73% possession during the opening 15 minutes appeared favorable, they struggled to create any genuine attacking threats. Lamine Yamal’s five crosses within the first half-hour showcased his readiness, though his teammates seemed out of sync.

However, the first goal, when it eventually came, was exquisite. After Frenkie de Jong regained possession and received the ball back from Rashford, he delivered a brilliant curling shot, finding the net past Albacete’s goalkeeper, Raul Lizoain.

This marked the 14th goal of the season for the 18-year-old, a remarkable feat. His current tallies stand at an astonishing 38 goals and 41 assists from 134 senior appearances for the club across all competitions.

More Accomplished than Messi and Ronaldo at His Age

While some may consider Lamine’s statistics unimpressive, he is making a significant mark in the football world. Context reveals a different perspective: before turning 19, Messi netted 11 goals with six assists across all competitions, while Ronaldo managed only six goals and seven assists.

This goal represented Lamine’s 11th contribution in nine Copa del Rey appearances—comprising five goals and six assists—and underscored Barcelona’s scoring streak of 12 consecutive matches in the tournament, equaling their longest series since managing 20 games with goals between December 2, 2015, and January 11, 2018.

Dani Olmo notably missed several opportunities to extend Barcelona’s lead shortly after halftime.

Rashford Breaking Through

Though Lamine won only six of his 13 one-on-one duels during the match, his performance was commendable, especially considering that only Albacete’s Agus Medina had a better record with ten wins in duels.

The hosts, showing resilience, had standout performances like Medina’s, whose four tackles attempted and three won provided significant energy to the team, even after Ronald Araujo scored Barcelona’s second goal from a corner.

Rashford, delivering the corner, is settling into his role during his loan tenure with Barcelona, marking his 10th assist of the season. With ten goals to his name so far in various competitions, he is certainly making a case for himself and prompting the club to consider his future.

Barcelona maintained control of the game, but errant finishing combined with desperate defending prevented further goals. Lamine continued to create opportunities, setting up five chances for teammates, before Javi Moreno injected late drama with a diving header in the 87th minute.

This was only Albacete’s second shot on target, followed by a disallowed goal from Ferran Torres and another close call from Fran Gamez, which Barcelona miraculously cleared off the line.

In the end, viewers once again confirmed that Lamine Yamal is indeed no mere hype and is proving to be a genuine talent on the field.