For 22 minutes, Barcelona did not seem to believe that they would reach the final of the Champions League, then Lamine Yamal decided that it was enough. Inter Milan ran in the semi-finals in the semi-final with two goals, but the shine of the 17-year-old star helped Barça coming from behind to ensure a 3-3 draw on Wednesday and leave balance in balance before returning to Milan next Tuesday. After Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries produced two exceptional finishes, even the most resolved fans began to wonder if it was a bridge too far.
It was the first semi-final of Barcelona since 2019, and the team powered by Teen Spirit, departed from the top scorer injured Robert Lewandowski opposed an experienced and cunning team, finalists in 2023 and sought to go better this time.
The Catalan giants have been reaching the final for the last time for a decade, winning in Berlin with Lionel Messi as an omnipotent leader, and Barcelona dreams of a return to Germany for the Munich final on May 31.
Fear tried to settle down, but Yamal was too fast for that. Three minutes after the second of Inter, he struck.
After all, he said that on the eve of the game, he had left his fears behind playing in the park in his hometown of Mataro.
The winger, during his 100th appearance for the club, showed the strength to raise the shoulders of Thuram, skill and speed to abandon Henrikh Mkhitaryan and produced a precise and fatal finish.
This triggered the return of Barcelona, Ferran Torres adding the second, and after Dumfries still scored for Inter, a purpose of Yann Sommer even left equality.
Yamal hit the woodwork twice and equaled Federico Dimarco in knots, inter sending several players to help Italian go out, effortlessly.
“I haven’t done anything yet, I have so much in front of me,” warned Yamal after the match, speaking to CBS Sports.
“I have always thought (the quadruple was possible), I have a lot of confidence in the team … I think we are going to pass.”
After its devastating display, Inter Manager Simeone Inzaghi said that Yamal was a “phenomenon” and that his own coach Hansi sang a “genius”, but most of those who see him regularly expected this.
“We know what the Lamine looks like, he does not surprise us … he is a very decisive player,” said Torres.
Raphinha, who forced the third of Barça with a vicious strike that bounced in the bar, then Yann Sommer, echoed these words.
“We all know the quality he has, how much he helps us,” said the Brazilian.
– The secret? ‘Take advantage’ –
Freshly out of two superb assists in the final of the Copa del Rey while Barcelona beat Real Madrid, Yamal held her very first pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
He said he hadn’t compared to Messi, even if everyone did, then he scored a typical goal of Argentinian.
As Messi has done so often, the intrepid teenager has a talent to deliver crucial games at key moments.
“In the big games, you see the quality of this player and he showed it today, it’s really good to have it,” said Flick, who credited Yamal to have triggered the return.
This recalled his goal in the Euro 2024 semi-finals against France, pulling his Spanish level after the Blues opened the scoring, on the path to the trophy victory.
Yamal has 15 goals and 24 assists in 49 appearances this season, but beyond the figures – behind Lewandowski and Raphinha for the contributions of objectives – which makes him really special, are the chills he provides.
In this regard, he looks more like the star of Brazil Neymar than Messi, in his penchant for the spectacular and the ease with which he realizes the towers.
“I try to have fun, I think it’s the secret, to take advantage of it,” Yamal said, who made his debut at 15, at CBS.
As Neymar did during her stay at Barça, Yamal found her blond hair last week.
“I do it so that the time ahead of the game passes more quickly … I do it because I bored it at home,” he said.
Everyone will also be, counting on the days until the second stage.
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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