Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was full of praise for Lamine Yamal, describing him as “a genius” after the teenager’s brilliance helped seal a 1-0 win against Alavés in LaLiga on Sunday.

The 17-year-old winger was in scintillating form, setting up Robert Lewandowski for the only goal of the game as Barça closed the gap on Real Madrid to just four points, following Los Blancos’ defeat at Espanyol on Saturday.

The match began with a jaw-dropping moment from Yamal, as he embarked on a mesmerising solo run from deep in his own half, gliding past multiple Alavés defenders before setting up Raphinha, who narrowly missed the target. The electrifying dribble immediately drew comparisons with Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

However, Flick was quick to downplay such comparisons, focusing instead on Yamal’s unique qualities.

“I am not a fan about that,” Flick said in his post-match press conference when asked about the Messi and Maradona parallels.

“Lamine is a genius. What he did today, in some situations, it’s unbelievable. I am very happy that he is playing for Barça. It’s great.”

The German coach also highlighted Yamal’s consistency and resilience despite his young age.

“For 17 years old, he’s doing great, and every match is good,” Flick added.

“And the opponents are not so easy to play against. They are strong, defending good, they try to attack him, aggressive, but he’s doing good. I love it.”

With another dazzling display under his belt, Lamine Yamal continues to establish himself as one of the most exciting young talents in world football, and under Flick’s guidance, the future looks incredibly bright for the Barça starlet.