Wim Kieft thoroughly enjoyed the top-of-the-table clash between Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona (1-2) last weekend. Having watched the Spanish showdown, the analyst from Haarlem is playing down expectations regarding Ismael Saibari, who helped PSV clinch the league title on Sunday without playing himself.
On Monday’s KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast, Kieft was wildly enthusiastic about Lamine Yamal. He saw the winger do some brilliant things against left-back Nicolás González, who was eventually sent off with a red card.
“That Yamal was truly incredible,” Kieft enthuses. “I didn’t know that Atlético left-back. That’s probably down to me. And he was playing on Diego Simeone’s side against Yamal. Simeone probably told him to mark him tightly. But Yamal got past him a few times, and played the ball through his legs. And he lobbed it over him. And eventually that full-back got a red card. He was completely outwitted.”
“When you see that, that’s the top. Atlético also have that striker, Álvarez. And Griezmann. And Barcelona, of course, with those amazing players,” says Kieft, who then turns his attention to Saibari. “He’s a good player, with lots of qualities. But you’ve got to be from a very good background if you want to make your mark at Atlético.”
“Things move fast there. It’s a different level. And the question is, of course, whether Saibari is good enough for that,” the former striker remains to be seen whether the PSV playmaker will make the leap to the European elite.
Mohamed Ihattaren was full of praise for Saibari on Sunday’s Goedemorgen Eredivisie. “I’d love to see him at Bayern Munich, one hundred per cent. He has those qualities,” said the Fortuna Sittard midfielder.