'I don't understand all the fuss about Lamine Yamal' - Jorge Mendes tells Barcelona teenager to learn from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo with 'everyone watching' his meteoric rise

Speaking directly on the recent debate surrounding Yamal, Mendes sought to normalise the situation and called for the player to be supported, not scrutinised.

“I don't understand all the noise surrounding Lamine Yamal. We've all been 18 and young," Mendes told Mundo Deportivo. "As president [Joan] Laporta said, what we have to do is support him and help him as much as possible because he's a great asset to the club."

The Portuguese agent, whose Gestifute agency manages Yamal, acknowledged the unique burden on the young forward, who now wears the number 10 shirt for Barcelona once worn by the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

"Lamine is the player everyone is talking about worldwide; there's a consensus that he's a great player for both the present and the future," Mendes continued. "Having everyone watching you is also a great responsibility and a lot of pressure. He's handling it very well, and we have to continue helping him, and one way to do that is to focus exclusively on his work.”

Mendes also confirmed the reports of a physical issue but insisted it is being handled correctly by the player and the club.

“Lamine knows perfectly well what he has to do both on and off the field, and that's what he's doing: concentrating on working quietly and not talking much," he added. "He has some physical issues that he's addressing with the club to resolve them in the best way possible while he plays, and that's the most important thing, that he recovers well and can contribute as much as possible to the team."

Mendes's comments about letting the football do the talking were emphatically underlined by Yamal's performance in midweek. The agent noted: "The best thing Lamine does is let his play on the field do the talking; he does it like no one else, as we saw in the Brugge match."

In that chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Yamal was Barcelona's standout performer. He dragged his side back into the game three times, scoring a sensational solo goal and creating the third, which resulted in a Christos Tzolis own goal.

After the match, Yamal himself confronted the recent rumours about his fitness. The forward missed seven games for club and country earlier this season with the pubalgia problem.

"I am good," Yamal told reporters. "I try not to read things. A lot has been said about my injury and that I was sad. It was all lies. I wanted to work hard to get back to this level, which is when I feel the best and have the most fun."

Despite Yamal's declaration and his agent's supportive words, Flick provided a more cautious assessment. The German coach confirmed that the pubalgia, a notoriously difficult groin-related injury, remains a daily concern.

"I am happy that Lamine is back on this level, but how I said also, we don't know what is tomorrow; we don't know what is next Sunday," Flick said in his post-game press conference in Belgium.

"The important thing is that he manages this situation he has now because it's not easy. He has to be focused on what he has to do, how he has to train and also the treatment. If he manages that the right way, hopefully it goes away, but it's not easy to say when with the situation."

The agent also tackled the inevitable comparisons to former Barcelona icon Lionel Messi. Mendes insisted Yamal must create his own legacy but should look to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as examples of professionalism.

“Lamine is unique, you shouldn't compare him to anyone, as he always says. He has to forge his own path, and he's doing very well," Mendes stated. "But it's obvious that there are players like Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who are role models for everyone because of the professional way they've managed their careers... Another great example for young players was [Andres] Iniesta."

Yamal echoed this sentiment himself after his Messi-esque goal in midweek, telling reporters: "I can't compare myself with Messi. He's scored thousands of goals like that. I have to make my own way and hope to score many more goals like that."

Mendes concluded with a bold prediction for his client's future, reinforcing the club's long-term faith.

"Lamine Yamal has to keep growing to become the best player of the next two decades, not just the best for four or five years," Mendes said. "He's at a great club like Barcelona, which is the best place to achieve his goals.”

Barcelona are now in 11th place in the Champions League standings, with seven points from their opening four matches.

Domestically, the immediate challenge is clear. Barcelona are currently second in La Liga, sitting five points adrift of leaders Real Madrid. Their next match is a crucial trip to face Celta Vigo on Sunday as they look to keep pace at the top of the table.

For Yamal, the "noise" is unlikely to quieten. The teenager was jeered by the home supporters in Brugge, just as he was by Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu two weeks ago. The player, however, remains unfazed by the hostile receptions.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that they whistle me and no one else," Yamal said. "If they're whistling me, it's because I am doing my job well on the pitch. I am not worried about that."

Click here to read article