Girona boss: Yamal can be as good as Messi

Girona coach Míchel has said Lamine Yamal can reach Lionel Messi‘s level after watching the Barcelona winger take his side apart in Sunday’s Catalan derby at Montilivi.

Yamal, 17, scored twice as Barça won 4-1 to make it five wins from five in LaLiga this season, with Dani Olmo and Pedri also on target before Cristhian Stuani netted a late consolation for Girona.

“Lamine is a difference-maker,” Míchel said in a news conference. “For me, he is already one of the best players in the world at 17 years of age.

“It is difficult to imagine that after Messi another [like him] would come along, but I hope that Lamine keeps improving because he’s a player than can reach that level.”

Yamal scored twice in seven first half minutes to effectively kill game before the break, robbing David López to open the scoring on the half hour mark before adding his second with a well-taken finish from the edge of the box.

The Spain international now leads the league in goal contributions this season with seven, ahead of teammates Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, who have six and five respectively.

Prior to Sunday’s brace against Girona, four of Yamal’s five goal contributions had arrived via assists, with Barça coach Hansi Flick welcoming the addition of more goals to his game.

“I was really happy because he scored the goal,” Flick said of his reaction to the opening goal. “Lamine normally gives the last pass and I was happy that he scored today.”

Yamal’s opening goal came via Barça’s high press, which particularly impressed Flick and has been a characteristic of his team’s unbeaten start to the new campaign.

“We started the match very concentrated, very focused and we pressed them really good,” the German coach added.

“The first goal was unbelievable, really good from Lamine [in the press], and we deserved the win and the result.

“We go now with the confidence we have built up over the last matches, you can see it also today, about our lines, about how we stay as a unit, very compact and very high.

“It’s normally not easy to do this, but we always need pressure on the ball and we did it good. I think you can see the confidence we have and, when we have the ball, we have the quality to play and to create chances.”

Olmo added the third with a stunning strike from a tight angle before Pedri made it 4-0 after collecting a Marc Casadó pass and rounding the goalkeeper as Barça banished memories of a 4-2 defeat at Montilivi which ended their slim title hopes at the end of last season.

However, the game ended on a sour note, with Stuani scoring a consolation for the home side, Ferran Torres receiving a straight red card for a foul on Yáser Asprilla that will earn him a suspension and Olmo going off with an injury.

Flick said Olmo will undergo tests on Monday to determine the nature of the hamstring problem, but there is optimism he will not be sidelined for long with Barça due to kick off their Champions League campaign at Monaco on Thursday before a trip to Villarreal in LaLiga.