16/09/2026
🗣️Mikel Merino when asked if he can see any traits of Lamine Yamal in teammate Max Dowman: "Yeah, I would say there are some similarities in terms of both Max and Lamine’s character. They don't care about the spotlight, they thrive when pressure is at the highest, they are always up for the challenge and they are not shy at all -- even facing the biggest names in the game, so they are very similar.
"Obviously you want Max to shine and you want him to express himself and show everyone the talent that he has, but, at the same time, you have to sometimes remind them that they are human beings and they are part of a bigger squad and team.
"The good thing with these kind of players -- Lamine and Max -- is that they are special talents, but at the same time they are very humble. They are always keen to learn and listen to the veterans. That is priceless.
"So, we are very happy to have him, but at the same time he knows that we are here to help him and sometimes even if we push him a little bit, he knows it's for his own good. He is a very good kid."
