Barcelona managed to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory away at Villarreal in La Liga, and they had teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to thank.
The 16-year-old delivered a spectacular performance, playing a part in two goals to crucially gain three points, and was even given a standing ovation by the Villarreal fans.
Yamal has already broken Ansu Fati’s record as the youngest player to appear for Barcelona, and he is about to break another record in what has been a sensational few months for the youngster.
SPORT have reported that Yamal is set to receive a senior Spain call up for the first time ahead of the upcoming International break, highlighting how impressive his breakout has been.
Luis De La Fuente has clearly seen enough from him to include him in the squad, and if he plays, he will become the youngest-ever player to play for Spain.
Spain will secure his future over Morocco, whom he is also eligible to play for right now, and it is clear that they believe in his talent as a potential star for his country.
Barcelona need to protect Yamal
Whilst the teenager has fantastic, and deserves his place in the team, Barcelona need to protect him in terms of attention and physical burnout.
Fati and Pedri have both played a large number of games at an early age, and both are now struggling with injury issues. Although it would be tempting for Xavi to make Yamal a regular, he should be cautious about how many games he will play so early on in his development.
Xavi has previously described him as “special,” and he needs to make sure that Yamal can fulfil his vast potential. If given the tools to thrive, he has the talent to become one of the best players in the world, and even follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi as a key attacker for Barcelona.