"I hope he can give Barca a lot of joy" - Barcelona legend Iniesta reacts as star player signs contract renewal
Andres Iniesta has spoken highly about Lamine Yamal, who has signed a new deal at Barcelona. The former player is delighted that the youngster has decided to stay at the Catalan club and hopes that he brings the club a lot of joy.
Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Iniesta said Yamal is a unique talent and urged the 17-year-old to keep improving. He said (via Barca Universal):
"It's fantastic news for Barca fans that he will continue to be there. Hopefully, he can maintain that level and improve year after year because he is a truly unique talent. I hope he can give Barca a lot of joy."
Talking about Barcelona's LaLiga-winning season, he added:
"It's been a great season, winning two major titles (LaLiga and Copa del Rey), reaching the semifinals of the Champions League and on the verge of reaching the final. And above all the feeling that the team transmits, that it is a young team with a lot of experience at the same time. If they continue on this path, I think they will be very close to being able to win titles every year."
Apart from LaLiga and Copa del Rey, Barcelona won the Supercopa de España, defeating Real Madrid in the final. They also reached the UEFA Champions League semifinals, where they lost to Inter Milan.
When Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta said Lamine Yamal is not normal
Speaking about Lamine Yamal last year, Andres Iniesta opined that the 17-year-old was doing way better than expected and was ready to take on any challenge. Iniesta told Mundo Deportivo (via GOAL):
"It's not normal as we think of normality. What he's doing so far is not normal. The challenge is that the environment and what accompanies him guide him to that evolution. He's 17 years old, he has his whole career ahead of him and what he must do is continue enjoying that joy and the freedom of playing in the school playground."
"Therefore, everything around him must accompany him so that his growth continues every year. Every year he will have to improve himself and that is the demand that he will have at Barca and in the national team and that at the same time is not easy," he added.
Lamine Yamal scored nine goals and assisted 13 times in 35 league games in the 2024-25 season. He also recorded five goals and four assists in 13 UEFA Champions League appearances.
