Simone Inzaghi hailed Lamine Yamal as a “once-in-50-years phenomenon” after the teenage sensation inspired Barcelona’s dramatic comeback against Inter at Montjuïc.
Inter stormed into a 2-0 lead within 21 minutes of the Champions League semi-final first leg, but the 17-year-old Yamal, making his 100th professional appearance for the club, pulled Barcelona back into the match with a stunning goal and a commanding performance. It wasn’t just a glimpse of future greatness—it was a statement that he may already be among the very best in the world.
Barcelona clawed their way back twice—first from 2-0 to 2-2, then from 3-2 to 3-3. Yamal opened the scoring for the hosts and cleverly let the ball run through his legs for Raphinha to smash in the equalizer. He struck the crossbar in the first half, delivered a series of sublime passes and touches, and nearly won it at the death with an audacious lob that also hit the bar.
Despite leaving the pitch without the winner, Yamal’s dazzling display left an indelible mark on the match—and on Inzaghi.
“We could have even won this match, despite facing a team with a player who is incredibly hard to contain,” said Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi. “We started strong, but they caused us a lot of problems—he caused us a lot of problems. I hadn’t seen him live before, and we had to double up on him. We managed it better in the second half and still had chances to win. Lamine Yamal is a phenomenon you only see once every 50 years. We made tactical changes at the break to better handle him, which was no easy task. He really impressed me tonight.”
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was equally full of praise: “I think he’s extraordinary. I’ve said it many times before—he’s a genius. Watching from the sidelines during the match is one thing, but reviewing it afterwards, you see all the little details. It’s unbelievable what he’s doing out there. At just 17, he’s already a remarkable player. For me, the most important thing is that he continues on this path.”
Nice
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