Lautaro: ‘No comparison’ between Yamal and Messi, but Inter ‘have to respect him’ | OneFootball

Lautaro Martinez insists that Inter must ‘respect’ the achievements and attacking qualities brought by Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal when the two teams meet in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night, but the Nerazzurri captain insists there is ‘no comparison’ between the teenage sensation and former Barca star Lionel Messi.

Lautaro Martinez and his Inter colleagues have arrived in Barcelona ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg, which will kick off at 20.00 BST on Wednesday night. The two teams will meet again for the reverse fixture in San Siro next Tuesday.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday evening, Lautaro analysed Inter’s tough last week, coming off the back of three consecutive losses, as well as the talents of Lamine Yamal and his own candidacy for the Ballon d’Or.

Lautaro on Messi vs. Yamal: ‘No comparison’

Given that Lautaro has played with and against Messi on countless occasions, reporters asked him if the prospect of facing Yamal is a comparable challenge.

Lautaro replied: “For me, there is no comparison with Leo. For me, he is and will remain the best player of all time.

“I won’t make any comparison, all I will say is that Lamine is a very strong player. He’s won a lot for his age, he’s won with the national team. We have to respect him, he’s a great player with a great future.”

SEVILLE, SPAIN – APRIL 26: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona reacts during the Copa del Rey Final match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja on April 26, 2025 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

The Nerazzurri skipper went on to give an analysis of Inter’s success over the last few seasons: “We’re very happy. We’ve played two Champions League semi-finals in three years, which has not happened to Inter for many years.

“We’re doing a lot in this prestigious competition. We’re wanting to work hard and make our fans dream of another Champions League final. We’re focused on facing a great rival.

“Obviously things can happen at this stage of the season. We did a great job until last week. We hadn’t lost for a long time, but the group is fine, we’re united. The key for me is that we have a solid, strong group. We’re ready for tomorrow.”

MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 08: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates Marcus Thuram and Matteo Darmian during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano at Fussball Arena Muenchen on April 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

And when asked what Inter need to do in order to stop Barca, Lautaro replied: “We know the offensive potential that this team has. We will have to do a great job defensively on a collective level.

“We’ve defended very well against the big teams in this competition. Tomorrow, we’ll have to work hard as a group and try not to concede any scoring opportunities.”

Lautaro gave one word to explain what Inter need if they are to beat Barcelona tomorrow: “Compactness.”

He explained: “I think this is the key word, because we will have to be united. This week has been tough for all of us, for all the fans. We’re the first ones to suffer when we lose, we don’t want it and we won’t accept it. We’ve spoken to each other, we’ve said things that will stay in the dressing room, but the team knows it.”

And what should Barcelona fans expect to see from Lautaro?

“An older Lautaro, but a Lautaro who wants to continue winning, playing in finals, wanting to face Barcelona the right way with my teammates. We’ve worked very hard, we’ve recovered our energy and we’re excited to play this match in a competition like the Champions League.

The Argentina international also played it coy when asked about his candidacy for the Ballon d’Or.

“Individual awards always come as a result of teamwork. I always think about the group, wanting to win games and make fans and families happy. That’s it.

“Individual awards come after collective ones. I’m interested in this group. If the award comes, it will be thanks to the work of the team and this group.”