Barcelona, Jan 16 (AP) When Lamine Yamal glided past two Real Madrid defenders before coolly tucking the ball just inside the post, it was hard not to get a shiver that Lionel Messi was back in a Barcelona shirt.

He still wears dental braces, but Barcelona's teenage phenom has emerged as opponents' No. 1 problem thanks to his speed, creativity, and gorgeous goals from Messi's old spot on the right flank.

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Yamal has run amok in back-to-back five-goal blowouts for Barcelona. He led its humiliation of Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final last weekend and helped demolish Real Betis 5-1 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

Yet, beyond the goals, it is his grace with the ball that is conjuring up comparisons to Barcelona's greatest player. Yamal, like Messi, makes it look so easy as he flicks past defenders who always seem just one, or two, steps too slow. They also share an incredible scoring touch with their left foot, whether scoring powerful strikes from distance or applying a finesse finish amid traffic as Yamal did against Madrid on Sunday.

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"After Lionel Messi, he is our best player," Barcelona midfielder Gavi said about Yamal after the forward recorded an assist and scored the fifth goal to round out the thrashing of Betis.

Yamal has rewritten the records books for his precociousness, becoming La Liga's youngest scorer when he was 16. He also became Spain's youngest scorer in the history of last summer's European Championship, where he also scored the goal of the tournament in the semifinals before his team won the final over England.

This season, Yamal leads La Liga with nine assists of his 13 overall, to go with nine goals across all competitions.

Yamal is also a major reason why attack partners Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha have combined for 46 goals. His passing makes the attack click and, as he often attracts two defenders, he opens up spaces for teammates.

"I have enjoyed Lamine for years, and now everyone is doing the same. He deserves (the praise) he is getting," said centre back Pau Cubarsí, who is also 17 and another piece of Hansi Flick's rejuvenated Barcelona.

Cubarsí credited the winter break for helping Barcelona start 2025 in fine fashion. The team hit a rough patch in late November and December after a spectacular start to the campaign and suffered nearly inexplicable losses at home to minnows Las Palmas and Leganes.

That dip let an in-form Atletico Madrid take the lead of the domestic league. Barcelona is six points adrift of Atletico in third place. Madrid is second at one point back.

Barcelona visits Getafe on Saturday. Three days later it visits Benfica in Portugal as it resumes the Champions League group phase sitting second in the standings behind Liverpool.

Araújo playing amid rumors of a move

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Iñigo Martínez's right hamstring injury might actually save Flick from a headache.

Spanish sports media has been rife with rumours that Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo is considering a transfer after not seeing much playing time following his return from a leg injury this season. He has been linked to interest from Juventus.

But Araújo replaced Martínez after he was hurt during the Spanish Super Cup final. He then started for Barcelona against Betis. With Martínez expected to be sidelined for a month, Araújo has become Flick's logical pick to accompany Cubarsí in the heart of the defense.

This week, Barcelona club president Joan Laporta said the club was talking with Araújo “to find a solution” after saying that they wanted the Uruguay central defender to stay.

Atletico on a record roll of 15 wins

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Atletico will aim to add to its club-record streak of 15 wins across all competitions when it plays at Leganes on Saturday.

Real Madrid hosts Las Palmas on Sunday. AP

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