Friday, 19th December, 2014
Young Lyon midfielder Nabil Fekir admits he is flattered at having been compared with Lionel Messi by the club's president Jean-Michel Aulas.
Fekir is enjoying having established himself in the first team at the Stade Gerland this season and his fine performances have brought links with a number of clubs, including Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.
Aulas has been quick to declare that the 21-year-old is not for sale and has compared him with Messi.
Fekir is taking the comparison with a pinch of salt, but admits it is flattering nonetheless.
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"For sure it's always nice to hear that from my president", he said at a press conference.
"We all know that I am not Messi. Far from it. But I think it's flattering for me.
"I must continue working, but I'm not trying to draw inspiration from anyone. I'm trying to be myself on the pitch.
"After that, I know that Messi is the best player in the world. We all know that I am far away from him and there is still a lot of work to do."
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