McManaman claims Yamal can be ‘the greatest ever’ – but fires cautionary note ahead of El Clasico
Steve McManaman believes Lamine Yamal could become “the greatest player we’ve ever seen on a football pitch” – provided the Barcelona starlet avoids burnout from excessive playing time for club and country.
Yamal became the youngest-ever player in Barcelona’s history to reach 100 competitive appearances in April this year, aged just 17 years and 291 days – two years after making his senior debut.
Ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico, TNT Sports pundit McManaman said fans are witnessing something extraordinary in the young winger but warned that his development must be carefully managed amid soaring expectations.
“He was the best 16-year-old, 17-year-old I’ve ever seen. So, if he keeps progressing like he’s been doing, he could be the greatest we’ve ever seen on a football pitch.
“Big words to say when you’ve got Lionel Messi in front of him, and you’ve got Cristiano Ronaldo, and you’ve got Zinedine Zidane, and you’ve got all these players who play for these two incredible clubs.
“But, he’s an 18-year-old now, the things he’s won and the things he’s done on the pitch already, he eclipses everybody as far as I’m concerned. He just needs to stay fit, and they need to use him correctly.
“You don’t want him to be playing every single game for Spain and Barcelona, because I’ve seen it with Pedri, I’ve seen it with Gavi, I’ve seen it with Ansu Fati, I’ve seen it with Bojan, many, many moons ago. You don’t want kids who are that good getting big, long-term injuries. I hope they use him correctly. I think Hansi Flick will.
Flick: ‘Motivated’ Yamal ready to challenge for Ballon d’Or again next year
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“Wrap him in cotton wool a little bit, because he’s incredibly special. As much as we’ve had Rodri and now Ousmane Dembele [as Ballon d’Or winners], I think the best players really are people like Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. As world stars go, they are the heirs to the thrones of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Much was expected of Ansu Fati after he inherited Messi’s No. 10 shirt. Like many before him, he was hailed as Barcelona’s next breakout star but struggled to secure consistent minutes after a series of injuries.
Following Hansi Flick’s arrival, Fati slipped further down the pecking order, resulting in a loan move to Brighton & Hove Albion last season and now to Monaco, where the French side have an option to buy.
McManaman has seen similar stories before – young players given too much, too soon – and hopes Yamal can fulfil his potential through cooperation between Barcelona and the Spanish national team over his workload.
“Barcelona always has players of hype because of La Masia. Gavi’s picked up another long-term injury now. Two years ago, he was the best around, ACL, another problem. He can’t even get in the starting 11 now. Pedri has had ACL problems, but he’s back in the team now, and he needs to stay fit because he’s incredible.
“I adore him. So I just want him to keep these really special players. I just want to see them as long as I possibly can, you know what I mean? That’s the only thing. I don’t care who they play for. When you see these players, they’re incredible. And Lamine’s missed a few games already.
Yamal involved as Lopez puts Barcelona ahead inside seven minutes
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“Barcelona have had a fight with Spain about this and that. So you just want everybody to understand how young he is, understand how precocious he is. Let him play the main games, of course, but also be wary that he’s only a baby.
“He’s played well over 100 games already for Barcelona at that age. It’s just absolutely frightening.”
While there is little doubt that Yamal’s career is heading in one direction, the destination of this season’s La Liga title remains anyone’s guess ahead of the first Clasico of the campaign. Barcelona trail Real Madrid by just two points after nine games, but can leapfrog their rivals with a victory in the Spanish capital.
There are also several English subplots surrounding the showdown, with question marks over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness to face compatriot Marcus Rashford.
Real Madrid edged past Juventus on Wednesday to maintain their flawless UEFA Champions League record. Jude Bellingham scored the winner – his first goal since returning from shoulder surgery – as Los Blancos extended their streak to four consecutive victories.
‘He’s unbelievable’ – Rashford on playing alongside ‘top player’ Yamal at Barca
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That result kept Madrid’s record unblemished since their defeat to cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid last month, and McManaman has been impressed with their early-season form.
“This year, Real Madrid has impressed me more. They strengthened well in the summer, with a new manager, of course. They’ve won every game apart from the Atletico Madrid game. I think tomorrow’s the acid test to see how good they really are.
“To a certain extent, they’ve beaten everybody who you expect them to beat. In the one hard game against Atletico Madrid, they effectively crumbled. We’ll see how good they are and how much Xabi [Alonso]’s input on the team is recognised.
“They lost four times to Barcelona last year in four games. Conceded umpteen goals, so we’ll see on Sunday if they’re genuinely going to beat them to the title this year.”
Flick slams Spain’s treatment of Yamal – ‘This isn’t taking care of the players’
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Bellingham ‘furore over nothing’
Jude Bellingham ended his wait for a first goal of the season in Madrid’s 1–0 victory over Juventus in the Champions League, easing concerns about his form since shoulder surgery in July.Spanish outlet Marca had claimed the midfielder looked “lost” during September’s 5–2 defeat at Atletico, while AS described him as “far from his best form” at the start of the campaign.
But McManaman leapt to his defence after his latest performance, insisting the criticism was overblown and predicting the England international could once again be decisive against Barcelona.
“I think he’s been very good, very good,” McManaman continued.
“There’s a load of furore over in England, which there always is a load of furore over nothing. He came back, played against Getafe last week, had a full game, and scored against Juve midweek. I think he’s been excellent.”
‘Rashford was always going to shine’
Could this be Marcus Rashford’s Clasico? The England forward has been in dazzling form, scoring twice in Barcelona’s 6–1 demolition of Olympiacos in midweek to take his tally to five goals and five assists in 12 appearances this season.
Rashford has looked revitalised since joining on loan from Manchester United in the summer – and McManaman admitted he is not surprised.
“He’s done really well and I expected him to do well because he’s playing for Barcelona,” said McManaman.
Rashford wows with ‘brilliant’ sixth for ‘showboating’ Barcelona
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“He’s left Manchester United, who were 16th in the league last year and he’s gone to the Liga champions. And the team that really, in all honesty, should have gone to the Champions League final.
“He’s always going to assist and he’s always going to score loads of goals, because if you watch La Liga, Barcelona and Real Madrid dominate so much that it’s nigh-on impossible not to score goals and not to have assists.”
Alexander-Arnold nears return
Trent Alexander-Arnold has had less impact since making the same move to Spain, with the full-back racing to be fit for Sunday’s game after suffering a hamstring injury during the Champions League clash with Marseille on September 16.
The former Liverpool defender was not named on the bench against Juventus, with Fede Valverde again deputising at right-back. Dani Carvajal has also been sidelined through injury, but McManaman insists Alexander-Arnold will reclaim his place once fully fit.
“I’ve been watching a lot of the games over in Madrid, and in the stronger games, he would have been in the starting XI,” he said.
“It’s just that Xavi [Alonso] made four or five changes nearly every game early on in the season, and people in England would point that out as Trent being dropped, which, of course, was absolutely ridiculous.
“He’s in the squad for tomorrow. I doubt he will play because he’s been out for such a long time. But it’s good to see him back in the squad.”
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