Inter Milan manager, Simone Inzaghi, was full of praise for Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, after the 17-year-old produced a stunning performance in their dramatic Champions League semi-final clash at Montjuïc.
The Italian side looked to be cruising after taking a commanding 2-0 lead within the opening 21 minutes.
But Yamal, making his 100th professional appearance for Barcelona, sparked a remarkable comeback with a sensational goal that turned the tide.
His display was more than just promising, it was dominant. Yamal was instrumental in dragging Barça back from the brink, as they clawed their way to a 3-3 draw.
He netted the first goal, let the ball roll between his legs for Raphinha to blast in the third, and came agonizingly close to sealing victory twice, hitting the crossbar both in the first half and again with a clever lob in the dying minutes.
Despite leaving the field visibly frustrated for not securing the win, Yamal left Montjuïc having delivered a performance that many are already calling world-class.
“We could even have won this game against a team who have a player who is difficult to stop,” said Inzaghi post-match.
“We started well, but they created a lot of problems: he created a lot of problems. He is a player I had not seen live before. We had to double up on him. We managed it better in the second half and could even have won.
“Lamine Yamal is a phenomenon born every 50 years. We made some adjustments to improve how we dealt with him after the break, which is not easy. He really impressed me today.”
So far this season, Yamal has played a decisive role in Barcelona’s triumphs over arch-rivals Real Madrid in both the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey.
Now, with La Liga and the Champions League still in their sights, Barça’s wonderkid could be on course to help deliver an incredible quadruple.
