Flick and Inzaghi laud record-breaker Yamal
Playing his 100th game at just 17 years and 291 days old, Yamal became the youngest player to score in a Champions League semi-final, eclipsing the record set by Kylian Mbappe, who was 18 when he achieved the feat in 2017.
The young Spain international's stunning individual goal breathed life back into the game for the Catalans after they fell 2-0 behind early in the first half. He went on to hit the woodwork twice and continually troubled the Inter defence in an impressive display.
"Lamine (Yamal) showed us the way with that incredible goal because it was crucial to score that goal after we were losing by two goals, he played really well," Barca manager Hansi Flick told Movistar Plus.
"We played with style and we tried to win. Lamine was a very important player for us... In the big games, as he has already shown, he always turns up."
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi was also full of praise for Yamal, revealing he had to make several adjustments at half-time to try and contain the talented teenager.
"We had to be better on Lamine Yamal, but it's much easier to say that from outside. He is a player who impressed me and he created a lot of problems for us, mainly in the last 30 minutes of the first half," Inzaghi said.
"Barca are a team of fantastic players and to come here and play a game like this, against the most offensive and most beautiful team in the world must make us proud. We could also have won it but we were playing against a team that has a player who is difficult to mark, who created so many problems for us.
"He is a talent that is born every 50 years, I had never seen him live and today he impressed me."
We need your consent to load this YouTube contentWe use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Inzaghi was satisfied with his side's display but injury concerns cast a shadow over the Italian side's excellent away performance.
Inzaghi's side have fitness concerns ahead of the return leg next Tuesday, with key players sidelined due to injuries. Benjamin Pavard was already out with an ankle injury, while star striker Lautaro Martinez was unable to return for the second half of Wednesday's match due to a hamstring issue.
"Lautaro felt something in his leg and we will know more tomorrow after we run some tests, but it seems extremely unlikely that he can make it to the second leg, which will be a final for us," Inzaghi told Movistar Plus.
"We hope to have Pavard back next Tuesday, but I don't think we can expect the same from Lautaro, unfortunately.
"It will be a final for us and I'm counting on 75,000 of our fans to help us achieve this remarkable accomplishment."
Dutch full-back Denzel Dumfries, who scored twice on Wednesday, downplayed the fact that Inter squandered a two-goal lead, allowing Barcelona to fight back twice and secure a draw.
He praised his side's effort, especially after they suffered three consecutive losses in Italy with back-to-back Serie A defeats and a Coppa Italia exit to rivals AC Milan threatening to derail their season.
"I think it was a good game from our side. After some bad results, we saw the real Inter again, playing with heart out there, and I am really proud," Dumfries told Prime Video.
"Sure, we wanted to win, but it was a good game and a result that leaves the semi-final completely open.
"We will see at San Siro where everything is possible for us. We are a strong team and we have to prove it every game."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Shelbourne manager Joey O'Brien disappoined by losing 'monster' FAI Cup game against St Patrick's Athletic
While Shelbourne have the chance to extend their European adventure in the upcoming Conference League play-off against Linfield, head coach Joey O'Brien was disappointed to lose what he dubbed a "monster game" against St Pat''s Athletic in the FAI Cup third round. Goals in each half from Mason Melia and a Chris Forrester penalty saw Stephen Kenny's side progress in the competition. On Thursday next, Shels and the Irish League champions renew acquaintances after earlier meeting in the first round qualifiers of the Champions League. But for O'Brien a domestic cup exit was not what he wanted as the lead-up to that Tolka Park clash. "As I said to them in the dressing room before the game, this was the biggest game of our week," he revealed to RTÉ Sport after the Richmond Park loss. "We wanted to use the hurt and the disappointent we felt on Tuesday (in defeat to Rijeka) to really motivate us and have a right cut off this monster game. Maybe there was one or two of them looking ahead to Thursday night. Ultimately if you're like that there is no team that good or no team that bad that you're able to do that in this country. "You'll take your learning from it and I'll watch the game back. We'll plan for Linfield from Monday onwards but it was a really disappointing night as I didn't think we put on a performance. We've had great support from our fans over the last couple of weeks travelling around the world for us but it was just disappointing we gave them that performance." While O'Brien reflected on a below-par showing he still felt his side had opportunities to get themselves on the scoreboard. "We started really well, got on the ball, got playing and created a couple of great chances at the start of the game," he said. "When you make those chances you've got to take one of them and that then sets out a different game. We then lost our way a little bit, lost possession, I didn't like our angles in receiving the ball and moving the ball up the pitch. They got a little bit more possession and we had some cheap turnovers and they got the goal. "Going in at 1-0 I always thought there would be chances for us but we concede a penalty, a really poor goal. At 2-0 it's a hard task to turn it around but we had chances on the break to get back into the game, we just didn't take them."
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Newcastle splash £39m on 'fantastic addition' Jacob Ramsey
Newcastle have completed the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey. The 24-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the club, who are understood to have paid an initial £39m for his services, with a further £4m due in add-ons. The Villa academy graduate, who made 167 appearances for their senior team, 10 of them in last season's Champions League, is the fourth acquisition of the summer for the Newcastle head coach, Eddie Howe. 'I'm delighted to be here. It's been a mad two or three days, but I'm really happy to be here and I can't wait to get started,' Ramsey said. 'This is a big move for me, but as soon as I knew the gaffer was interested and really liked me, it didn't take much time to decide. His track record of developing players, especially those who have gone on to become internationals here, speaks for itself. 'It was always a tough game playing for Villa against Newcastle – the team is full of energy, so athletic and the fans are so passionate. I feel my game will suit that and I'm excited to be on the other end of it now.' Newcastle began their Premier League campaign with a 0-0 draw at Villa on Saturday and Ramsey will join the squad on the training pitch as they begin preparations for the visit of the champions, Liverpool, a week on Monday. Howe said: 'Jacob is another fantastic addition to our squad. His qualities will bring us something different on the pitch and he fits the profile of being young and hungry to develop, but also with a wealth of Premier League football under his belt. 'Jacob offers versatility and his directness in attack has proven to be a real threat at this level in recent seasons. He performed very well in the Champions League last season too and we believe he'll be a major asset for us.' Ramsey was part of England's European Under-21 Championship-winning squad in 2023 alongside new teammate Anthony Gordon. He joins Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale and Malick Thiaw in heading for St James' Park this summer. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was left out of the Paris Saint-Germain squad for its Ligue 1 game at Nantes on Sunday, days after being dropped for the UEFA Super Cup final. Donnarumma already said he wants to leave PSG amid speculation he will soon join Premier League giant Manchester City. The Italy No. 1 was arguably PSG's best player last season, helping it win the Champions League for the first time with a string of decisive performances in the knockout stages. But PSG coach Luis Enrique signed goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille during the offseason, reportedly because of his superior passing ability from the back, in a move that reportedly displeased Donnarumma.
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Arsenal capitalise on goalkeeping error to beat Man United
MANCHESTER UNITED'S expensively assembled new forward line drew a blank as Arsenal began their quest for the Premier League title by grinding out a 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday. Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal after the Italian defender pounced on a huge mistake by United's stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. United have splashed out £200 million (€232 million) on new forwards to remedy a lack of punch in the final third. Despite promising debuts, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo failed to find the net, while substitute Benjamin Sesko could not make Arsenal pay for opting against pursuing their interest in the Slovenian. After finishing second for the past three seasons, the pressure is on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to deliver the club's first league title in 2003/04. The Spaniard was left to depend on his reliable defence and goalkeeper David Raya to secure a huge three points, as the visitors never got going as an attacking force. Only four other teams scored fewer than United's 44 goals in 38 Premier League games last season as the English giants endured their worst campaign for 51 years, finishing 15th in the table. The new arrivals have at least lifted the mood around Old Trafford, and the majority of the 75,000 fans in attendance could at least leave encouraged by the performance of Ruben Amorim's men. Cunha and Mbeumo unsettled Arsenal's normally unflappable centre-back pairing of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba early on. Advertisement However, United's good work was undone by a glaring error from Bayindir, who was deputising for the injured Andre Onana. The Turkish international meekly flapped at an inswinging Declan Rice corner on 13 minutes, allowing Calafiori the simplest of tasks to head into an unguarded net. Patrick Dorgu came closest to a United reply before half-time with a powerful effort from distance that came back off the post. Mbeumo and Cunha saw tame efforts easily saved by Raya, while the Spaniard did brilliantly to divert another Cunha shot across the face of the goal. Arsenal had held interest in Sesko for well over a year before pursuing a move for Viktor Gyokeres as the solution to their need for a number nine. The Swede had a quiet Premier League debut and was replaced before the hour mark by Kai Havertz. Sesko made his entrance moments later to a hero's welcome after rejecting the advances of Newcastle for the lure of the 20-time English champions. United continued to enjoy the better of the play without finding the finish as Mbeumo saw a powerful header expertly clawed out by Raya. But Arsenal held firm to keep pace with title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, who also won on the opening weekend of the campaign. – © AFP 2025
