Czechia coach makes bold claim about Barcelona new signing: ‘Same level as Lamine’

Czechia coach makes bold claim about Barcelona new signing: ‘Same level as Lamine’ England are gearing up for their final match of the international break as they take on Czechia later tonight. Heading into this game, Czechia coach Santi Denia has made a bold claim about one of England’s most in-form players, Anthony Gordon. Denia has compared the Barcelona summer signing with his club teammate Lamine Yamal, adding that they are almost on the same level. What Denia said about Gordon Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Denia, who boasts extensive experience within Spain’s youth setup, could barely contain his admiration for the Barcelona winger. Gordon has had a solid start to his career at Barcelona. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) “Gordon? What a player! What a footballer, my God!” Denia said (h/t SPORT ). “He’s at the same level as, I don’t know, I was going to say Lamine, ” Denia said, before listing the qualities that drew the parallel. “Young, daring, one-on-one, speed.” The comparison carries significant weight given Denia’s background, having spent 15 years working across Spain’s youth categories and even coaching Lamine himself at a young age. Praise for England’s development Denia’s comments came when he was asked about Gordon’s recent remarks, in which the winger argued England should not try to copy Spain’s model . The Spaniard largely agreed with that view. “Every country has its own essence; we must respect and embrace it,” Denia said. “You can’t change things overnight; success isn’t immediate, it’s a process.” Gordon has been in superb form for England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) The coach was also full of praise for the work done by English football in recent years, particularly in developing talents like Gordon. “What a great job English football has done developing players like him . They’ve believed in investing in youth and have supported their development,” he said. “You give them opportunities and experiences that eventually lead to them playing for the senior national team.” As far as Barcelona are concerned, Denia’s praise is another validation for the summer investment they made on the player, who might not start the team’s next La Liga game against Getafe, with coach Hansi Flick likely to prefer Karim Adeyemi.