'Genius' Yamal dazzles again for Barcelona in epic duel with Inter
FC Barcelona's Lamine YAMAL celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between FC Barcelona and Inter Milan at Stadio olimpico Lluis Companys. Andrea Amato/Ipa Sport / Ipa-Age/LiveMedia-IPA/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries may have been named Man of the Match with his two goals and one assist but it was Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal everybody was talking about again after the teams' 3-3 draw in a Champions League semi-final for the ages.
Comparisons to Lionel Messi were aplenty after the 17-year-old had dazzled once more, not only scoring an important goal but tormenting the Inter defence throughout the night and hitting the crossbar twice.
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'They already have the same fear of Yamal as they do of Messi," Spanish sports paper Marca said.
In England, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland said on Snapchat that "this guy is incredible."
The Inter camp was also impressed, as not even doubling up against Yamal worked.
"Lamine is the kind of talent that comes along every 50 years. I've not seen a player like him for years," coach Simone Inzaghi said.
Defender Alessandro Bastoni named Yamal "the best player in the world. He makes it all look so easy."
Yamal's classy goal in the 24th minute to ignite Barca's comeback from an early 2-0 deficit made him the youngest scorer in a Champions League semi-final at 17 years 291 days, the latest of many age records in his career.
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At least as remarkable is that the match was already his 100th for the club, two years and one day after his debut as a 15-year-old.
Yamal won Euro 2024 with Spain and has three titles with Barca, La Liga in 2023, and the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey this year, far more than Messi had at the same age.
Barca lead La Liga this season and can win the Champions League for a treble which their coach Hansi Flick achieved with Bayern Munich in 2020.
Flick named Yamal "special" and "a genius."
"He showed us the way because making it 2-1 was really important. He's a fantastic player and you see his quality in big games. It's great to have him here," Flick said.
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But the coach quickly also praised his whole team after the comeback from 2-0 and 3-2 down.
"They gave everything and we can be proud. We played well and kept our style and picked ourselves up after conceding twice," Flick said.
Barca must now win at San Siro on Tuesday to reach the May 31 final in Munich, and another Lamine gala could help in this respect.
"The second leg is still to come and we have to win it. It's a final before the final. We have 90 minutes to get to the final, our objective. We have a chance," Flick said.
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