Inter Milan captain weighs in on Yamal – Messi comparisons ahead of Barcelona showdown | OneFootball

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez praised Barcelona’s attacking football ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg clash tomorrow.

However, the Argentine striker, who was close to signing for Barça in 2020 before the deal ultimately fell through, refused to make individual comparisons when asked about Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.

Lautaro acknowledged Barcelona’s attacking power, despite the absence of Robert Lewandowski who is injured, highlighting Raphinha, who leads the Champions League scoring chart with 12 goals this season.

“We know the offensive power of the team. We have to do a great defensive job. We are a team that has defended very well. We have to defend together to try to stop them from having scoring chances,” he analysed.

When asked about Yamal, and whether he compares to Messi, Lautaro cut the comparison short, saying: “Leo for me has no comparison, for me he is the best player of all time.”

As for Lamine, he added: “He is an important player who is doing a great job.”

Lautaro optimistic despite Inter’s recent poor results. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Inter come into the match on the back of their worst run of results in thirteen years, not only due to three consecutive defeats but also three straight games without scoring.

Lautaro acknowledged the poor form, stating: “We are together. This week has been tough for us. We are the first ones who suffer when we lose. Tomorrow we will face a great team.”

The Nerazzurri captain sees this slump as part of the season and urged his teammates to stay focused.

“At this stage, this can happen. Until now we have done a good job. The group is fine, united,” he added.

“We are very excited because in three years we have reached three semi-finals. We are doing a great job. We are thinking about fulfilling the dreams of our fans.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo