Real Madrid star admits Barcelona counterpart is a ‘better’ player | OneFootball

Real Madrid star Franco Mastantuono has this week moved to make clear his appreciation for the talents of Barcelona counterpart Lamine Yamal.

Since youngster Mastantuono’s summer arrival in Spain, comparisions between he and Lamine have inevitably begun to spread.

Both 18 years of age, full senior internationals and plying their trade on the right flank for one of Spanish football’s leading clubs, such chatter was always bound to quickly come to the fore.

To this point in the campaign, it is Lamine, as expected, who has delivered more frequently when it comes to output in the final third and all-round performances alike.

As much comes with the Barcelona man widely considered world football’s best young talent, and Mastantuono still settling into his new surroundings in La Liga.

Speaking during an interview with Cadena SER (as cited by Diario Sport) this week, the latter was therefore not shy in admitting that, as of this moment, Lamine is simply ‘better’:

“I’ve already talked a little about that issue. I don’t like comparisons. It’s always nice to have rivals with the stature of Lamine Yamal or Barça or the Spanish national team. It’s always a motivation and hopefully it will be like this for a long time. Today, Lamine is better. He is showing an incredible level, he is in an incredible present. I have just arrived at Madrid, I am in a process of adaptation that hopefully will be quick. Hopefully I can get into the rhythm of Europe soon and that it will be a long story to tell and with many games. My best version has not yet arrived. I had a good moment at River that made me get here, but it’s not my ceiling. I’m going to keep working and improving. It’s my goal, to stay at the top for a long time in a club that is the biggest in the world. I want this to last a long time.”

Conor Laird – GSFN