Former Barça player opens up about his relationship with Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal

Now a former Barça defender playing for Al-Nassr, Íñigo Martínez spoke on Wednesday night on El Partidazo de COPE about his relationship with Lamine Yamal.

"With Lamine, I had a special, mutual bond from the very first moment. And it's true, he saw me as a role model, like a father figure in the dressing room," Martínez revealed. He went on, in powerful words, to highlight how tough it is for such a young player to grow in a demanding locker room: "He came in very young and this kind of dressing room is always complicated. But I think he's not aware of the burden he carries, because at 18, he's a player who has to lead the team. I don't know how he does it, I wouldn't be ready for it myself. I hope he keeps going like this, because the day he realizes it, it will weigh heavily on him."

Íñigo Martínez also praised Lamine Yamal's maturity and talent:"What's impressive about Lamine Yamal is that he's a focused kid performing at a level I've never seen at such a young age. And you can feel the difference when he's on the pitch or not."

Finally, when asked about Yamal's off-field life, which has sometimes sparked controversy, Martínez responded: "He has people around him who keep an eye on him. But he's young and he'll make mistakes that everyone will talk about."