Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said it would be “a mistake” to compare Lamine Yamal to legends like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, while refusing to confirm if the Barcelona star would make his first start in a World Cup on Sunday.
Spain play Saudi Arabia in Atlanta in their second game in Group H, after being held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in their World Cup debut, with Yamal only fit for a late cameo off the bench.
De la Fuente has faced a barrage of questions this week about Yamal’s progress, but denied that the relentless spotlight on the Barcelona winger was a negative for the team.
“It would be a mistake to compare [Yamal] to anyone,” De la Fuente said in a news conference on Saturday, when asked about the star’s role now in the Spain team, compared to those of Messi and Maradona with Argentina in the past. “He’s 18, in a process of development, of maturing… We have to let him follow his path.
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“These kinds of players, who have something different, are ready for it,” he added. “They’re geniuses, like Salvador Dali, or Michelangelo. What seems exceptional to us, isn’t for them.”
Yamal was introduced in the 71st minute against Cape Verde — with Spain struggling to break down the opposition defence – as he continues to recover from a muscular injury sustained in April.
The player admitted this week that he still isn’t ready to play 90 minutes, and de la Fuente wouldn’t say whether he would start the game against Saudi Arabia.
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“We’ll evaluate that,” de la Fuente said. “The best news is that he’s here. Lamine is in a good moment. Whether he plays 55, 58 or 63 minutes, that will depend on the game. We’ll think about his contribution to the team, and what’s beneficial for him… You’ll see tomorrow.”
The coach insisted that the focus on Yamal could cause problems with teammates in the dressing room.
“We have a healthy atmosphere,” he said. “We all know how important all the players are. We understand the role of Lamine perfectly and so do his teammates.”
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De la Fuente said there was “no sense of panic” among the squad, despite criticism from the Spanish media having dropped points against unfancied Cape Verde,
“The team is stung, and sometimes, criticism is motivating,” he said. “The players do read things, they’re angry, and for sure tomorrow the game will be very different.”
