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Champions League highlights: Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan
Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, modestly declined to compare himself to Lionel Messi – only to deliver a performance that even a 17-year-old Messi might have aspired to in a memorable Champions League semi-final.
Yamal was swiftly acclaimed as “a genius”, “a cheat code” and “an extraordinary talent” following the match.
Barcelona and Inter Milan played out an enthralling 3-3 draw in the first leg, with Inter’s Denzel Dumfries heavily involved in all three of his side’s goals, scoring twice and earning man-of-the-match honours.
Global attention, however, inevitably turned to the 17-year-old Yamal, who netted his 22nd goal on his landmark 100th appearance for Barcelona.
Yamal orchestrated Barcelona’s revival, particularly in a first half where his brilliance helped the hosts overturn a 2-0 deficit by the 21st minute.
He produced an outstanding Champions League semi-final goal, to complement the one he scored in last summer’s Euro 2024 semi-final – all before his 18th birthday.
“I don’t recall ever seeing a 45-minute display from one individual quite like that,” remarked TNT Sports pundit Ally McCoist as the sides left the field at half-time.
Recognition for Yamal’s rare talent came too from Inter boss Simone Inzaghi.
“Lamine is a player who comes along once every 50 years. Seeing him up close was remarkable,” he said.
“He gave us significant problems, even with double marking it wasn’t enough.”
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick added: “He’s exceptional, a genius. He steps up in the biggest matches.
“If talents like this emerge but once in 50 years, as Simone said, I’m delighted he’s at Barcelona.”
BBC pundit Stephen Warnock described him as “a future Ballon d’Or winner”.
This thrilling encounter has generated huge anticipation ahead of next week’s second leg at San Siro, providing a stark contrast to the narrow 1-0 win earned by Paris St-Germain at Arsenal 24 hours earlier.
‘A very, very special player’ – Yamal, 16, makes Euros history
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Lamine Yamal – The Boy King
Pre-match, there was a brief scare as Yamal appeared to suffer a groin issue in the warm-up, leading to speculation he might miss the fixture.
Although he started, Inter Milan surged ahead 2-0 with stunning goals from Marcus Thuram’s inventive backheel and Dumfries’ powerful volley.
Soon after, Yamal—while closely monitored by two defenders—sparked into action, gliding past Inter players to score brilliantly off the far post.
Shortly later, he again mesmerized the defence and forced Yann Sommer into tipping his powerful strike onto the bar.
Ferran Torres then completed an excellent team move to equalize ahead of half time.
Dumfries restored Inter’s lead with a header in the second half.
But Barcelona responded immediately, as Yamal’s deft dummy set up Raphinha, whose 25-yard shot struck the bar and ricocheted off Sommer for an own goal, making it 3-3.
Inter’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan appeared to snatch a late winner, but his goal was ruled marginally offside.
Yamal nearly produced a final moment of magic when his cross-shot clipped the intersection of post and bar.
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Warnock on Yamal’s “remarkable” showing versus Inter
The scale of Yamal’s accomplishments at such a young age is extraordinary.
On his 100th Barcelona appearance, he scored his 22nd club goal, adding to four goals in 19 appearances for Spain.
Yamal also boasts 27 assists, including two in Saturday’s Copa del Rey final extra time victory over Real Madrid.
Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, widely considered the era’s two best, made their senior international debuts at 18. Yamal, in contrast, lifted the Euro 2024 trophy the day after his 17th birthday.
Messi scored only one goal before 18, Ronaldo just five in that period.
Yamal remains the youngest La Liga player and the youngest to register a goal and assist in the competition’s history for any team.
He is also the youngest to start a Champions League match, as well as the youngest scorer in both the tournament’s knockout stages, quarter-finals and now semi-finals.
On the international stage, Yamal is Spain’s youngest player and goalscorer, and holds the same marks at the European Championship level.
‘Superstar’ Yamal makes more history with Euros triumph
Few footballers have achieved such impact before turning 18. Yamal celebrates his birthday in July.
His emergence invites comparison with Barcelona legend Messi, now at Inter Miami, widely regarded as the sport’s greatest player.
Both are La Masia graduates who play naturally from the right wing.
“I don’t compare myself to anyone – certainly not Messi,” Yamal explained pre-match, while describing Messi as “the greatest player in history.”
In contrast to the global expectation, Messi was simply a promising talent at 17, not yet reckoned among the world’s elite.
Yamal added: “Comparisons don’t make sense, least of all with Messi – I’ll enjoy my game and be myself.”
There is a unique historic link between the two. As a baby, Yamal was photographed with Messi during a 2007 charity calendar shoot at Camp Nou.
A photo surfaced, external from Unicef’s campaign, showing a 20-year-old Messi bathing infant Yamal.
The calendar shoot arose from a raffle in Mataro, Yamal’s hometown.
“Walking through the city you can sense the pride: there’s a superstar here now in Lamine Yamal,” said Rio Ferdinand on TNT Sports.
“When Messi departed, Barcelona needed a new icon; what Yamal is achieving at 17 is unprecedented, and his composure both on and off the pitch is astounding.”
I don’t compare myself to Messi – Barca star Yamal
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How Barcelona’s investment in youth is transforming the club
Yamal’s display left critics and fans in awe.
Owen Hargreaves, former Bayern Munich and England midfielder, called him a “cheat code” live on TNT Sports.
“I just want to see Lamine Yamal with the ball, let everyone else clear the space,” he added.
Former England international Warnock, speaking for BBC’s Champions League Match of the Day, said: “He was unplayable. The goal he scored was outrageous.
“It’s extraordinary to watch. Even knowing he wants to cut in on his left, defenders overcompensate, but he’s skilled on both feet and can deliver with his right as well as his left.
“He’s a phenomenal talent. I love watching him.”
Rio Ferdinand wrote on social media: “In terms of natural football ability, I’d argue that Lamine Yamal is on a different level to anyone else in the top five leagues right now. Truly extraordinary.”
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