Barcelona midfielder, Fermin Lopez has told teammate, Lamine Yamal to stay calm because opponents will try to target him during a match.
Lopez also labelled the Spain winger as the best footballer in the world at the moment.
He spoke to reporters alongside Barcelona manager Hansi Flick at a press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League fixture with Olympiacos on Tuesday evening.
“I have known Lamine since we were kids, and he is the best player in the world,” Lopez said (via Barca Universal).
“Everyone is going to talk about him, and everyone will try to target him. He has to stay calm.
“He is mature in that sense, and we try to help him because he is very important. If he is doing well, the team will do well.”
Yamal finished in second position behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmame Dembele in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings.