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Barcelona legend Javier Saviola has lavished praise on superstars Lamine Yamal and Raphinha ahead of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg clash against Benfica. The LaLiga giants will face the Portuguese giants on Tuesday, March 11, at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc.
Barca mustered a hard-fought 1-0 win in the first leg at Estadio da Luz. The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 22nd minute after Pau Cubarsi was given his marching orders for a professional last man foul on Vangelis Pavlidis. Raphinha was the savior for Hansi Flick's outfit, scoring a goal in the 61st minute against the run of play. The match ended 1-0, giving La Blaugrana a crucial lead going into the second leg.
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Speaking to the media ahead of the second leg, ex-Barca and Benfica forward Javier Saviola waxed lyrical about Barcelona's attack, especially players like Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. He said (quoted by Barca Universal):
“They [Benfica] couldn’t get an advantage against Barcelona with one extra player. And going to Barcelona with a disadvantage is complicated.”
He added:
“We already know that Barça, with the draw in favour, will have many spaces, it will play the counterattack. They have players like Lamine and also Raphinha, who are at a very high level,”
Both Lamine Yamal and Raphinha have flourished this season under the tutelage of Hansi Flick. Raphinha has amassed 25 goals and 18 assists in 40 games this season. He has especially flourished in the UEFA Champions League, registering nine goals and four assists in nine games, i.e., a goal contribution every 57 minutes.
Lamine Yamal, meanwhile, has racked up 11 goals and 16 assists in 36 games this season. The 17-year-old La Masia graduate has been a menace on the right wing, bamboozling defenders with his dribbling and ball distribution skills.
Barcelona legend Rivaldo names Raphinha and Lamine Yamal as the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or this year
Legendary Barcelona forward Rivaldo has hailed Raphinha and Lamine Yamal as favorites to win the coveted Ballon d'Or this year. According to the Brazilian, the Barca duo has already outclassed the likes of Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Jr. in the Ballon d'Or race.
In a recent interview with SPORT, he said:
“At this moment, I don’t see anyone ahead of Lamine and Raphinha in the Ballon d’Or race. Perhaps outside of Spain, Salah is a strong candidate because of his season, and Vinícius will always be in the conversation. But this will depend a lot on Barcelona and their ability to win collective titles. Both are having excellent seasons.”
The 1999 Ballon d'Or winner continued:
“Yamal is playing with a lot of maturity for his age, and Raphinha is also a strong Ballon d’Or candidate, especially because of his recent performances. He’s scoring goals, providing assists, and playing with a lot of creativity and determination. He’s definitely a standout contender.”
Manchester City midfielder Rodri was the last winner of the coveted Ballon d'Or, defeating Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. to clinch it at the Théâtre du Châtelet.
