Lamine Yamal to become youngest player ever to start a Champions League match

Lamine Yamal will become the youngest-ever player to start a Champions League match, having been selected in Barcelona's first XI for Wednesday's clash with Porto.

The attacker became Barcelona's youngest player when he debuted for the first team at 15 years, nine months and 16 days old in April.

Yamal also became Spain's youngest-ever debutant and goalscorer during the recent international break, and he has now created another piece of history during a remarkable start to his career.

Barcelona head coach Xavi has selected the teenager in his starting XI for the Champions League Group H contest with Porto in Portugal.

Yamal will therefore become the youngest-ever player to start a game in the competition at the age of 16 years and 83 days old, breaking Celestine Babayaro's record from November 1994.

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The forward has been selected on the right of a front three, with Robert Lewandowski and Joao Felix also operating in the final third of the field.

Raphinha's injury has weakened Barcelona's forward options, but Yamal was given the nod over Ferran Torres, who has recently been involved from the first whistle.

Yamal has featured on nine occasions for the Catalan giants during the 2023-24 campaign, contributing two assists, but he is still waiting for his first goal for the club.

The youngster signed a new long-term contract with Barcelona earlier this week, but the club's head coach Xavi has called for the comparisons to a certain Lionel Messi to end.

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"I hope Lamine can mark an era [in football], but we are not doing him any favours saying that (comparing him to Messi)," Xavi told reporters.

"It's true the expectations are enormous and, aged 16, he is playing at a brutal level, which is hugely positive.

"But let's see what the future holds without comparing him with Messi. It's not gone that well for all the players that have been compared with Messi in the past."

As well as Raphinha, Barcelona are currently missing Pedri and Frenkie de Jong due to injury problems, but Ronald Araujo has recently returned from a hamstring issue.

Barcelona will be bidding to make it back-to-back wins in the Champions League on Wednesday evening before switching their attention back to La Liga on Sunday, facing a trip to Granada.