It is always going to be a bit surreal not to see Barcelona and Real Madrid clash over something. The two Spanish rivals are known to have one of the fiercest rivalries in world football, and for good reason. Even today, both Barcelona and Real Madrid continue to be at one another’s throats.
The previous generations of the club have left behind a great legacy of this rivalry. However, in the near future, it seems quite likely that those days of glorious individual rivalries within El Clasico will also be rekindled and reawakened.
Intriguingly, two young gems who will most likely be responsible for rekindling it are going to be facing off very soon.
Lamine Yamal and Endrick, two players that Barcelona and Real Madrid have placed their futures on, respectively, are set to take on one another in an international friendly. Spain takes on Brazil, and in a host stadium that could not have been any more poetic.
At the Santiago Bernabeu, home to Real Madrid, Yamal and Endrick will likely come face to face at some point. Furthermore, as SPORT has highlighted, the ceilings for both these players have been commented on extensively by their coaches.
Brazil’s coach, Dorival Junior, already has great praise for 17-year-old Endrick:
“Time will tell who this boy could become. I think that if he doesn’t change the attitude he has been showing, he will undoubtedly be a very important name in Brazilian and world football. We must be patient with the boy; he is practically starting out and may be accelerating his development a bit.”
He further went on to state that the Real Madrid-bound striker is someone who really stands out for him: “He has been an outstanding player, especially in the last Brasileirao, where he deservedly won with his team. He is a boy who really shows a differentiated quality for his age.”
On the other side of things, Luis de La Fuente was not one to back off from praising Lamine Yamal as well. The 16-year-old Barcelona sensation has already taken over so many records, but the coach also wishes to maintain some level of caution:
“He has fantastic potential and conditions, but his performance will be what demands what we can offer him. Of course, we have to take care of him, he’s young. But, do you remember when Messi or Maradona were 16 years old? Well, we will assess him in due time. You shouldn’t set limits on these very good footballers.”
Both of these players, one for Barcelona and the other who is bound for Real Madrid, are seen as game-changers for both clubs. In the near future, they could both even become the faces of their respective clubs. However, that comes with great responsibility, and something they will need to live up to.
Expectations are already high, and many seem to rate them both quite high. In GOAL’s Next Generation ranking of the 50 best youngsters in world football, Yamal tops the ranking while Endrick makes it to the podium behind him. Only time will tell if the Barcelona man or the Real Madrid arrival will end up with more success.
