Lamine Yamal: A "phenomenon born every 50 years"
The 3-3 draw between Barcelona and Inter was a spectacle in every respect. And yet, afterward, it all revolved around a 17-year-old.
One against all: Lamine Yamal keeps several opponents busy. IMAGO/Xinhua
Kicker magazine attempted to argue that Lamine Yamal is arguably the best 17-year-old since a certain Pelé before the quarterfinal first leg against Borussia Dortmund . This exceptional 17-year-old didn't have to perform at his peak against BVB, but still scored a goal. His 4-0 victory paved the way to the semifinals, as Barcelona's worst performance of the season in the return leg against Dortmund was enough to advance.
On Wednesday evening, it was Inter who had to deal with the bleached-blonde left-footer. The Nerazzurri, known for their resolute and humorless defense, were left standing in their own right. The fact that Inter had actually gotten off to a perfect start, leading 2-0 after 21 minutes, didn't bother anyone at the Blaugrana.
Everything went down the right, where Lamine Yamal was under-challenged by Federico Dimarco , constantly attracting at least two players. And yet he still got past. In the 24th minute, even four or five defenders were unable to stop the young Spaniard. He shook off Marcus Thuram as if the Frenchman wasn't twice his size, and then Henrikh Mkhitaryan was outwitted. The ball was always glued to his feet at top speed. Surrounded by four players in white, Lamine Yamal then curled a perfect shot onto the left inside post from 15 meters. Yann Sommer watched in disbelief. The score was already 1-2.
"He caused a lot of problems," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi afterward, but that was only the beginning of his eulogy. "Lamine Yamal is a phenomenon born every 50 years." A generational talent whom Inzaghi had seen live for the first time and tried with all his might to stop. "We made some adjustments to better control him after the break, which isn't easy. He really impressed me today."
The art is in the detailsInter actually did a bit better in the second half, giving Lamine Yamal as little space as possible. But his game isn't just characterized by goals and assists. The way he escapes pressure situations with maximum technical finesse, creating space for his teammates, is impressive. And it always looks so easy. Lamine Yamal is still only 17, but he's already played his 100th Barca game.
Hansi Flick has the pleasure of watching him play football every day. He's almost accustomed to his world-class skills. "I've said it many times, he's a genius," said Flick, who usually only realizes how good Lamine Yamal really is at second glance. "When I watch it from the outside during the game, it's not like watching it afterward. You see all the details, and it's incredible how he does it," enthused Barca's successful coach, for whom the most important thing, of course, is "that he keeps going." Clearly, a player like that delivers titles.
Lamine Yamal almost capped off his gala performance with a curling shot just before the end, which could have been a cross for Raphinha , but landed on the crossbar. "I didn't see Raphinha, I wanted to shoot," he told CBS Sports about the scene. Naturally, he wanted to shoot from an almost impossible angle with his first touch. To complete the work of art.
"He has to enjoy it," demands his coach. Actually, everyone has to. Except for his opponents.
