Sevilla manager, Matias Almeyda, has praised Barcelona’s prodigy, Lamine Yamal, calling him the best player in the world.

The Blaugrana will face Sevilla in LaLiga at Camp Nou on Sunday.

The Catalan giants could only manage a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United in the first leg of the Champions League last sixteen. As the LaLiga leaders, they aim to return to winning form on Saturday against a struggling Sevilla team currently positioned 14th in the standings.

Prior to the match, Sevilla’s manager, Matias Almeyda, expressed his admiration for Lamine Yamal. He acknowledged his enjoyment in watching the young Spaniard play, noting his continuous improvement.

Almeyda stated, as reported by Barca Universal, “Currently, he is among the best in the world; he is young and gets better every day. For me, he is the best player in the world today. It is a joy to see him play, but he is not their only talent. They have another in midfield, and even more on the bench.”

Almeyda also commended Barcelona, describing them as the top team in LaLiga and one of the finest in Europe. He remarked:

“Barcelona, even when fatigued, consistently performs at an outstanding level from any viewpoint. The match will differ from the home game. We will attempt to replicate similar strategies, but we are also conscious that it has been 23 and a half years since we last triumphed there. That is a significant duration. Some of the players have never experienced it. We are going to face the best team in La Liga and one of the best in Europe.”

At just 18 years old, Lamine Yamal is already considered one of the top players globally and finished as the runner-up in the Ballon d’Or race last season. This season, the young talent has netted 20 goals and provided 15 assists in 37 matches across all competitions.