Chelsea showed Lamine Yamal why teens don’t star in the Premier League; the league of Men

Lamine Yamal meets the Premier League, a different ball game

Just like Robert Sanchez remarked, every player can be considered good until he comes to the Premier League’, while this doesn’t make Lamine Yamal just any player, it does highlight the reservations, so much so that a 17-year-old youngster may never achieve the heights of the Spaniard, even if they have bigger talents.

Last night, Lamine Yamal played a Premier League team for the first time, and while he was not unimpressive, he was made to realize that the English League is a class of its own.

The Spanish sensation has become one of the best players in the world before turning 18, and a few months later, finished second in the Ballon d’Or and featured in the FIFA FIFPRO World 11.

But on Wednesday, he was manhandled by a friend turned foe in Marc Cucurella. Although he received little support from his teammates, almost all of whom were below par, in a heavily altered Barcelona team, this is a common scenario for many teens in the Premier League.

Lamine Yamal meets the Premier League, the league of men

While youngsters have become the real deal around the world these days, those in the Premier League have never been truly unleashed, as the competitive nature of the English league prescribes managing their minutes with caution.

Many of the teenagers who are given a proper run in teams have entered their 18s. Even Estevao Willian, who had made a name for himself at the biggest stage for Palmeiras before moving to Chelsea, has so far been carefully played in the league.

Some teenagers have also benefited from unfortunate situations in their respective teams, such as dropped form and especially injuries, to star, but found themselves relegated again once the senior players sort themselves out.

Lamine Yamal emerged at the proper time for Barcelona, and his performances have been as good as any of the best players in the world, but would anyone have gotten the chance to reach 100 starts for a Premier League club before turning 18?

That remains a big question, one that may never have its answers. But from what happened at Stamford Bridge last night, one thing is certain: the Premier League is a different ball game entirely.

Recently, a few teenage sensations have emerged in the English top flight, especially at top teams such as Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and others. However, those given a real run in the team eventually returned to the bench when senior players returned.

This isn’t due to a dip in performance, but rather to protect these talents. At their age, they can only handle limited exposure in a competitive league, which leaves little margin for error and where every mistake is punished.

Unlike in LaLiga, where youngsters are given more run in the teams as they rely heavily on their Academies, due to their restricted spending by the salary cap, which prevents them from spending like their Premier League counterparts.

Now Lamine Yamal knows. And even LaLiga, which has lost 13 and won just three in recent meetings with Premier League teams, will realize that the distance between the two leagues continues to grow season after season.

While Hansi Flick may be hopeful due to the return from injuries, it does not change the fact that their defense remains a mess, and their form against top opposition remains very worrying.

For Lamine Yamal, it’s another important lesson learnt, one of humility, because unlike in LaLiga, where only Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid partially offer worthy competition when Barcelona is in full flow, teams in the Premier League fight such battles week in and out, because it is a league of men, not teens.

Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi