Gavi, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha starred as Barça followed up their Clásico upset against Real Madrid with another big win over Betis.
On Wednesday, Barcelona faced Real Betis in the round of 16 of the 2024/25 Copa del Rey, delivering another resounding victory, much to the delight of the fans, especially after their recent thrashing against Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final. One of the standout players in the match was Gavi, who spoke to the media after the match.
Gavi: “Silly to compare Lamine Yamal and Messi”
The Spanish midfielder, who is back in top form after a long absence due to a serious knee injury, responded to questions about teammate Lamine Yamal and the comparisons with Lionel Messi. He also reflected on the current midfield trio he is part of alongside Pedri and Marc Casadó, with some drawing parallels with legendary figures of the past.
Commenting on TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio, Gavi said: “Of course Lamine can make his mark, but I think it is foolish to compare him with Messi because Messi is unique and there will never be anyone like him. Just like there will never be anyone like Iniesta, Busquets and Xavi. Everyone is their own person and makes their own history.”
“For me, Lamine is the best today and I hope he continues like this,” he added. Gavi, who scored the opening goal against Real Betis at Montjuïc, put Yamal in his own special category but acknowledged that he still sees the experienced Inter Miami star as the best player in the world: “After Leo Messi, Lamine is the best for me .”
Flick supports Gavi's praise for Yamal
At his press conference, Hansi Flick supported Gavi's recognition of Yamal: “Gavi is very emotional. But I agree with him. You can see it in big games; that's where you see the great talents, and he shows that so often. We must take care of him; he is very young.”
Barcelona secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey after excellent performances from the likes of Gavi, Yamal, Raphinha and Dani Olmo. Now they must focus on regaining LaLiga glory on Saturday (January 18) when they visit Getafe.
Original article written by Diego Mayel Ibarra, translated with the help of AI and edited by Roddy Cons.
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