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Former Barcelona defender Marc Bartra has advised rising Blaugrana star Lamine Yamal to stay focused, considering the stunning start to his career.
Yamal has become Barca's youngest-ever debutant and their youngest player this century. The 16-year-old also became Spain's youngest-ever debutant last week and goalscorer when he netted on his debut in a 7-1 thrashing of Georgia in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier.
The Barcelona wonderkid is enjoying a meteoric rise, drawing comparisons with Lionel Messi. He's expected to become the Blaugrana' next superstar.
Former Barca defender Bartra has told SPORT that he hsa spoken to Yamal and offered him advice. He urged the Blaugrana teenager to have the right mentality:
"I recently had a few words with him and told him to keep his feet on the ground, that this is what will lead him to a career, that mentality is the most important thing, more than the talent."
The Real Betis defender who comes up against his former club on Saturday (September 16) also revealed that he had written to Yamal:
"It all came about because "I wrote to him. We follow each other on social networks, and he seems like a very good kid."
Bartra reckons Yamal is already proving that he could be a difference maker as he lauded his self-confidence:
"He seems to me to be a player who makes a difference; at a very young age, you can already see the self-confidence, the conditions that he has. You see that he decides very well for his age."
Yamal appears to have the right mentality, displaying his humility after scoring on his international debut for Spain. The Barcelona academy graduate said:
"I am living a dream. I am very happy. I am very satisfied with the decision (of choosing Spain over Morocco). It is going to be a very long road with Spain."
The plaudits are coming in thick and fast for Yamal who has managed two assists in four La Liga games this season. He's likely to play against Betis at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, with his side third in La Liga after four games.
Manchester City reportedly tried signing Barcelona star Yamal in the summer
According to Marca, Manchester City tried signing Yamal in the summer, but their approach was knocked back by Barcelona. It's claimed that relations between the two clubs deteriorated, as the Cityzens tried everything to sign the Spanish teenager.
Yamal has risen through the ranks at Barca, who are his boyhood club. He, too, rejected City's offer to leave Xavi's side and join Pep Guardiola's treble winners.
City and Barcelona held a strong relationship before the approach, with Ilkay Gundogan heading to Catalonia in the summer. It appears that the La Liga champions aren't too impressed with the Cityzens' attempts to prise away their newest superstar.
