Xavi will count on prodigious Barcelona talent for the first team this season – report

Lamine Yamal was the protagonist for Barcelona in their recent Joan Gamper Trophy win over Tottenham Hotspur. Indeed, he only played ten minutes on the night, but they were ten impactful minutes.

The 16-year-old assisted Ferran Torres’ equaliser almost instantly after coming on and served as a nuisance for the Premier League side’s left-back.

He also played a critical role in both Ansu Fati and Ez Abde’s late goals on the night and served as the origin for both build-ups through his trickery on the wing.

Yamal’s role at Barcelona

According to SPORT, Barcelona see Yamal as a key player for decades to come. However, they do not want to rush him into the spotlight given his tender age and potential for growth.

The outlet adds that Xavi Hernandez is very satisfied with the teenager’s performance in pre-season and his level of training. Yamal will thus travel with the team to Getafe as part of the squad for the league opener.

As it stands, he will be a part of the first-team dynamics and can even expect minutes on the field given Ousmane Dembele’s imminent departure.

Xavi does not see the signing of a new forward as a priority and could count on Yamal as his latest weapon in the attacking department.

The only hurdle, however, is that he competes directly with Raphinha and Ferran Torres on the right wing.

Barcelona’s youngest debutant

Yamal made his debut for the first team at the tender age of 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days when Barcelona took on Real Betis last season.

However, his incorporation into the senior setup did not come as a surprise. Yamal has been generating headlines in La Masia for a long time now and had even trained with the first team on multiple occasions before his debut

With his progression going as expected, Yamal will remain in the first-team dynamics but will also play for Barça Atletic when not involved under Xavi.