Flick: I don't like comparing Yamal to Messi!

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has insisted he is "not a fan" of comparisons between young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal and club legend Lionel Messi, despite acknowledging the teenager's exceptional talent. "I'm not a fan of those comparisons," Flick told reporters. "Lamine is a genius. What he has done in some situations has been unbelievable. I'm very happy that he's playing for Barcelona. It's fantastic." At 17, Yamal continues to impress with his performances for Barcelona, ​​shining in the last match against Alaves, a match that ended in a 1-0 win for the Catalan side. Yamal attempted 21 dribbles, completing 11 of them, the most by a Barcelona player in a single match since Messi recorded 20 dribbles in the 2005-06 season against Real Mallorca. Regarding Yamal's brilliance in front of defenders, Flick added: "For a 17-year-old, he is doing great. The opponents are not easy, they are strong and they close in on him, but Lamine is doing well. I really like what he is doing." Barcelona continued their struggle for the top of the Spanish league with a hard-fought victory over Alaves, thanks to a goal from striker Robert Lewandowski, who raised his tally to 18 goals this season. With the victory, the team moved closer to leaders Real Madrid by four points, and a difficult match awaits them against Valencia in the quarter-finals of the Spanish King's Cup next Thursday.