Mallorca’s coach, Javier Aguirre, regretted that he “lacked a little more quality up front” in this Friday’s defeat against Barcelona (1-0), in LaLiga EA Sports because of a great goal from Lamine Yamal. “He’s young, I know they work very well here with young people, and if this continues like this he’s going to be a player who’s going to bring a lot of joy to Can Barça. He’s a player who defines games. Today he gave the three points and didn’t “It’s the first time,” he said of the Blaugrana youth player, whom he compared to Leo Messi.

“The first time I saw Messi I was with the Barça youth team. I saw him for five minutes and he was a rat, he didn’t stop scoring goals. Lamine also looks like a rat,” said the Mexican coach who has “zero worries” the lack of punch from his team, which must “continue working and wait for the goals to fall.”

“Today I am much calmer in both areas (than a few months ago). We have been defending well for a while, very supportive. In the rival field we have generated. We continue on the right path. I don’t like losing, but here it is almost normal that we let’s lose,” he added.

The Mallorca coach explained that he leaves “proud of the work”, but “pissed off at the defeat”, although he stressed that the team has been “on the right track for a few games” and praised the team’s “commitment”. “I have 24 lions that fight and do not give up. Except for one match in LaLiga, we have competed,” he highlighted.

Asked about the penalty on Raphinha in the first half, Aguirre said that it was not, although “the VAR guy really wanted to call a penalty”, and also assessed that his compatriot Rafa Márquez, coach of the Barça reserve team, “is preparing good” to take over the Barça bench if the opportunity arises.