Messi praises Flick’s young guns as Barcelona visits Celta without Yamal

Barcelona (Spain): Hansi Flick has Barcelona clicking again, and the best player in the club’s history has taken notice.

Lionel Messi praised Flick’s willingness to give Barcelona’s youth players chances to play. That bet has paid off handsomely and invigorated a Barcelona side that is playing its best soccer since Messi’s tearful exit three years ago.

“It makes me proud to see how the team is represented now. This Barça is spectacular,” Messi said in an interview with Catalan television TV3 on Friday.

Messi and other members of his great Barcelona team like Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández were themselves products of the club’s famed training system. Lamine Yamal now leads a new group of products of La Masia academy.

“This happened when I arrived at the club at age 13,” Messi said. “I think it is great that these kids have had these chances over the past couple of years. When you give them the opportunity and show them confidence, they respond in this fashion because they know the club better than anyone and know how the team wants to play. Good things are happening just like with the previous generation.”

Xavi, Flick’s predecessor until he was fired last season, was the first to tap into this rich new vein of budding talent by giving starts to Yamal when he was just 15. Xavi also opened the door for defender Pau Cubarsí and midfielder Fermín López to join the senior squad. Flick has continued along that same path despite being a complete newcomer to the club.