Young Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal successfully navigated a last-minute injury concern to secure his place in the starting lineup for the first leg of their Champions League semifinal clash against Inter Milan.
During the pre-match warm-up routine at the Olympic Stadium, Yamal appeared to lose his footing while attempting a shot. He subsequently left the field and headed to the locker room ahead of his teammates. Television footage captured the 17-year-old appearing to hold his left groin or thigh area, leading to doubts about his ability to start the match with only about fifteen minutes remaining before kickoff.
However, Yamal did indeed take to the pitch. This appearance remarkably marked his 100th senior game for Barcelona, achieved more than two months before his 18th birthday. He has been recognized as one of Europe`s most impressive young wingers this season. His presence, alongside Raphinha, is particularly crucial given the continued absence of key striker Robert Lewandowski, with Ferran Torres once again leading the attack. Barcelona`s starting eleven for this crucial match was the same lineup that recently secured victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.
Any speculation regarding whether the pressure of a first Champions League semifinal might affect Yamal was likely dismissed earlier in the week. At the pre-match press conference held before Inter`s visit, the confident youngster commented:
“Fear while playing the game? I left all my fears in the park of my neighbourhood, back in Mataro, a while ago.”
Yamal is one of several players in the semifinal starting squad who have come through Barcelona`s renowned La Masia academy. Reflecting on the team`s aspirations for the trophy, he stated:
“We want Barca to win and to be among the best in business. You can see that feeling in our team, it`s a dream for us and it has a lot to do with our performance this season. We remember when the club won the Champions League in 2015 and we don`t only play because that`s our job — we also feel the colours of this football club.”
