Barcelona, Oct 23 (IANS): Ahead of the Champions League encounter, Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany heaped praise on Barcelona FC for finding a replacement for club legend Lionel Messi, who left Camp Nou in 2021, so soon in Spain wonder kid Lamine Yamal.

Lamine 's rapid rise to prominence began when he started training with Barca's first team at just 15 years old, at the request of coach Xavi Hernandez. He made his debut for the first team in April 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to represent the club.

"It's exceptional for Barca as a club to have Yamal so shortly after the departure of a player like Messi. For my generation, Messi was one of the key figures of our era. To shortly after this player leaving already have potentially a player who can replace him is quite unique. Full credit to Barca's academy, La Masia for always trusting these players and giving them the chance," Kompany said in pre-match presser.

"The question for us is not about stopping Yamal, but trying to win a game against Barcelona, which means stopping all the players, not one. The focus is on the team, not one player, but he's an exceptional player," he added.

After an impressive 2022/23 campaign, Lamine continued with the first team for preseason in 2023/24 and became a regular presence in the squad. He set multiple records for the club, including being the youngest player to reach 50 appearances. The teenage forward also became the second youngest player to score in the Champions League history last month.

On an international level, Lamine became the youngest player ever to play for the Spanish national side and their youngest ever goalscorer. In the summer of 2024, he also became the youngest player ever to appear in the European Championships when he started for Spain against Croatia at the age of 16 years and 338 days.