FC Barcelona Coach Xavi Hypes Up 15-Year-Old Yamine Lamal Ahead Of Potential Record Breaking Debut

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has hyped up 15-year-old La Masia product Lamine Yamal ahead of his potential record-breaking debut against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Lamal has made the squad list for La Liga’s game of the weekend, and therefore became the youngest ever player to be called up to the senior team in club history.

Should he feature at any point, the teenager who turns 16 in July would also smash the club’s record for its youngest ever senior appearance maker which Armand Martinez Sagi has held since April 2, 1922 when making his debut aged 15 years, 11 months and five days in a 1-1 draw with Real Gijon.

Ahead of the clash with Atleti, Xavi talked up Yamal for both his ability and bravery in a pre-match press conference.

“He’s a player who has talent,” Xavi said. “He is very young, he is 15 years old, but he can help us. He is a footballer who can mark an important era at Barca. He is happy and grateful. If he is on the list he can play.”

“I see things about [Andres] Iniesta for Pedri but Lamine is different,” Xavi went on. “He does not have a clear profile, he is a born talent. Young people are not afraid, unlike before. The new generations try and have a terrible self-confidence. This is what I see in Lamine.”

Yamal becomes a free agent in 2024 with president Joan Laporta scrambling to try and offer him a new deal with a €1 billion ($1.01 billion) release clause.

While letting him leave for free would be a massive slip up for Barca, Xavi preferred to focus on the present. He explained that Lamal has “trained well” with the first team, and is viewed as having what it takes to run out at Camp Nou in the late afternoon match against Europe’s best in-form team.

“That’s why he comes with us, regardless of the contractual situation he has,” Xavi stressed. “It is irrelevant if his contract ends. He has talent and can be useful.”