“I am shorter than Cubarsi”
Lamine Yamal faced the press today on the eve of Feyenoord’s visit. The Barcelona winger was asked about his physical development and answered it straight.
“When you are 18, you grow without even noticing it. They say I am two metres tall, but that’s not true. I am a ‘boy’ and I am still growing. I am shorter than Cubarsi or Bernal,” said the Spain international.
The story has been doing the rounds in the Catalan media for several weeks. His frame has changed since he burst into the professional game, and the numbers attached to it have kept getting bigger. He poured cold water on the debate by comparing himself with Pau Cubarsi and Marc Bernal, two other Masia graduates who have taken the same path.
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Four signings, and a teenager who says he is fine with it
Barca spent heavily this summer. Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi and Gabriel Jesus have all arrived. Yamal is now surrounded by established players, all older than him and all winners.
He says he is handling it just fine. “It’s easy to manage. In the dressing room, there are people who have done more than me in football. So when I get home, I have to keep my feet on the ground.”
The winger went further. He is happy to start games on the bench if needed. “I’m not scared. If one day I am a substitute, I’m not scared anymore. There are big players.” The message also lands with Hansi Flick, who now has a much deeper attacking squad to call on.
Locked in as a starter ahead of Feyenoord
In practice, the competition has changed nothing. Yamal has kept starting since the season resumed. He found the net again in Valencia last weekend, in Barcelona’s 5-0 win.
Feyenoord head to Barcelona on Wednesday for the Blaugrana’s opening game in the Champions League league phase. Kick-off is at 18:45 CET.
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