Champions League: “A genius”: Barça-Teenager Yamal enchants the football world

The spectacular semi-final show by exceptional talent Lamine Yamal immediately fueled the next comparisons with Lionel Messi. “He is a talent that only happens every 50 years,” said Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi 3: 3 about the 17-year-old from FC Barcelona. And the Spanish sports newspaper “Marca” judged: “You are already afraid of Yamal as before Messi.”

Spain’s super talent Yamal stole the show in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League everyone with a goal and two post hits-and was then celebrated by the football world. “I’ve never seen a player like Lamine Yamal in the last eight or nine years,” said Inzaghi. For the first time ever, the opponent’s coach experienced the teenager live and at times had to park three players who defended against him.

Haaland is also stunned

And so there were other gaps that contributed to the fact that Milan did not reach a fast 2: 0 or a 3: 2 to go to the second leg next Tuesday (9:00 p.m.) in their own stadium. Especially thanks to Yamal, who once again enthused everyone with his energy, will and skills. “This type is incredible,” Manchester City’s superstar Erling wrote Haaland from the sofa via Snapchat.

In his already 100th assignment for Barcelona, ​​Yamal also rose to the youngest player who ever scored in a royal class semi-final. With just 17 years and 291 days, thanks to the dream goal, he replaced Kylian Mbappé in the meantime and made the next record.

“Like Messi,” said former Swiss international Marco Streller at Blue TV: “So agile, so movable, I only saw that from a Messi.”

For just 15 years, nine months and 16 days, Yamal was old when he made his debut for Barcelona in April 2023, and the offensive man has been a regular since last season. Against Bayern converter Inter, he now showed his probably best appearance in the Catalan jersey. “Lamine Yamal started to conjure up and changed the game,” said British BBC: “Yamal was the heart of everything Barça did.”

Yamal enjoys the big games

Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick was also full of praise for his youngest superstar four days after the Spanish cup victory against Real Madrid. Yamal showed his team the way after a bad start in the Olympic Stadium. “Lamine is something special, he is a genius,” said the former national coach: “He is there at the big games and enjoys it.”

The 60-year-old did not want to see the 3: 3 on the desired path to the final in Munich on May 31. “The game has to give us courage. The way we played football – we also want to appear in Milan,” said Flick before the next exchange of blows in San Siro.

He was pleased that his team was able to equalize twice after deficiency. Spain’s league leaders continued to have chances on the title triple that Flick had already achieved as a coach of FC Bayern 2020. His current team would always want to “dominate the game”, said Flick, “also against such a strong defensive. That was already impressive today.”

Inter defense is afraid

However, Barça showed himself sleepy and susceptible to standards in the early goal of ex-Gladbach Marcus Thuram after only 32 seconds. “It is difficult at the moment to put it into words because it is of course clear: If you catch three goals, it is not so nice,” said Flick: “But in the end we have a second game in Milan and we want to do a lot better – especially when it comes to defensive.”

Inters defensive is already afraid of Yamal. “He is the best player in the world. He makes everything so easy,” Inter-defender Alessandro Bastoni had to admit. The fact that his teammate Denzel Dumfries received the honor as the best player after two goals and one template came to the marginal note because everyone only talked about Yamal.

“Everyone saw what a great player he is. We tried to stop him, but that wasn’t easy,” said former Dortmund professional Henrich Mchitarjan: “I hope we don’t let him play in the second leg.”