Vincent Kompany Praises Barcelona’s ‘Exceptional’ Messi Replacement Lamine Yamal

Vincent Kompany has praised Barcelona’s ability to swiftly identify wonderkid Lamine Yamal as a possible Lionel Messi replacement. Speaking prior to Bayern Munich’s Champions League matchup with Barcelona, Kompany recognized Yamal’s noteworthy contribution to club and international football since his debut.

In an interview with reporters, Kompany emphasized how remarkable it is for Barcelona to have acquired such a gifted player so quickly following Messi’s exit in 2021, which created a significant hole at the team.

“It’s exceptional for Barça as a club [to have Yamal] so shortly after the departure of a player like Messi.”

Kompany also gave tribute to Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy for consistently producing elite players. He continued by saying:

“Full credit to La Masia for always trusting these players and giving them the chance.” alluding to the club’s belief that its youth system will produce future stars.

Pay Attention to the Team, Not Just Yamal

Kompany, who is currently managing Bayern Munich, expressed his appreciation for Yamal but made it plain that he is not only focused on stopping the 16-year-old prodigy. Kompany clarified that Bayern’s strategy will be to concentrate on the entire Barcelona squad rather than simply Yamal.

“The question for us is not about stopping [Yamal], but trying to win a game against Barcelona, which means [stopping] all the players, not one.”