Pep Guardiola has offered an apology to rising Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, after saying that no footballer should be compared to Lionel Messi.
While acknowledging Yamal’s impressive emergence at just 17 years old, the Manchester City boss firmly maintained that the accomplishments of Messi remain unmatched.
Although Guardiola has never coached Yamal, his deep-rooted connection to Barcelona and especially to Messi, with whom he shared an era of tremendous success, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League triumphs, gives weight to his opinion.
As Yamal now stands on the brink of inheriting the iconic No.10 jersey once worn by Messi, expectations around him continue to grow.
Speaking to DAZN, Guardiola praised Yamal’s game intelligence, saying, “It’s surprising what everyone says, and it’s true: you only acquire this maturity at 24, 25 years old… Sometimes it seems like a player with so much talent, it seems like you have to take a chance on every play. Every play you have to shoot a three-pointer like Curry. No. He comes here, one touch, and now I rest for three minutes. And now he comes another touch. And now I make a little drive and I pass it again. And now I’m going to win the game.”
However, he was quick to draw the line when it comes to comparing any player with Messi, “It’s about understanding the game based on… it’s really surprising, the truth is that we at Barça are very lucky to have found a kid again who has a perspective, I’m not going to say like Leo, I’m really sorry but Leo, for me there will be no one, no one, no one in the world like the Argentine, it’s impossible.”
Guardiola’s remarks underline the excitement surrounding Yamal’s potential, while also serving as a reminder of the unparalleled legacy Messi has left behind.
