Rayo Vallecano manager likens Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi

Barcelona are gearing up to face Rayo Vallecano in their third match of the 2025-26 La Liga season, which takes place on Sunday. Hansi Flick’s side are set for their toughest test so far against a side that finished in the European places during the previous campaign.

Ahead of the match, Rayo head coach Inigo Perez was very complimentary of Barcelona during his press conference (via Diario AS), revealing that the Catalans are the side that he tries to learn the most from.

“It’s practically the same team, it will always be difficult. They continue to press very high, they are still very aggressive without the ball, which is difficult to see in a team that is aiming to win all the titles. They continue to generate many chances and many goals with the ball. They maintain a bit of that punch and that aggressiveness without the ball. I see them the same, I haven’t seen that they have been satisfied because last year they were superior to the rest, but I think it’s a young team with a coach who is tailor-made for this squad.

“I love to observe the best teams to see if we can get something out of them or to imitate, but for me in La Liga they are the team that I like to observe the most to notice, because I think they do things that we can imitate, especially without the ball and they do things with the ball that we have also been doing. The other day we saw statements from Rashford who spoke about his new teammates and said that they were always smiling, always with energy and that is an indication that when you watch Barça’s games it is reflected.”

Perez on similarities between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi

Perez highlighted Lamine Yamal as one of Barcelona’s dangermen, revealing that he sees the 18-year-old with a similar presence to Lionel Messi.

“I have players that I see who can opt for it and obviously Lamine Yamal is one of the players called to be there. He is one of the few players since I have been a coach, who I see reminds me of Messi in many things. I’m not talking so much about the way they play, which can have similarities, but about that feeling of seeing teams try different formulas and he finds solutions to solve it. He reminds me a bit of Messi in that feeling of helplessness of the teams that play against him. But yes, tomorrow is evidence that he is a differential player.”