At a glance
- The Catalan press praised Lamine Yamal for his maturity speaking ahead of FC Barcelona Vs. Atletico Madrid.
- Barca’s teenage star said that he hopes Atleti coach Diego Simeone does him a “favour” by putting him to be marked one-on-one.
- Hansi Flick’s men need to overturn a 2-0 defeat in the Champions League quarterfinals to advance.
FC Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal hopes Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone does him a “favour” by ordering his players to mark the teenager one-on-one in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Catalans need to overturn a 2-0 quarterfinal deficit in the Metropolitano. After beating Espanyol 4-1, though, they remain confident of pulling off a third remontada on Atleti’s patch in a year.
“We promise that if they eliminate us it will be pushing until the end. We will defend this badge. The comeback is very possible, that’s why we are here,” Lamine vowed.
Lamine sent a request to Simeone ahead of Barcelona Vs. Atletico Madrid
Asked if he wanted to send a message to rival manager El Cholo, Lamine he hopes the Argentine “does me a favor and puts me [to be marked] one-on-one.”
Since making his debut in the competition aged 16, Lamine has completed more dribbles (116) than any other player. He leads on through balls too, with that outside-of-the-foot pass he does to perfection – and did against Atleti in the league 10 days ago – particularly effective.
The first leg finished with Lamine visibly frustrated. Yet still he attempted as many dribbles as his Barca teammates combined and the entire Atleti side. His nine successful dribbles were the most by any player in the UCL this term, and the most since he pulled off 14 in the semifinal against Inter Milan.
Once more, that side of his game could be what turns the tide in the Spanish capital, with Lamine boosting morale through his goal and two assist display against Espanyol.
Lamine feels better – which is good news for Barcelona
“I feel very good, very motivated, I hope I can make the difference,” Lamine said.
“There’s always tension, it’s in the past,” he commented about past frustrations. “I’m thinking about tomorrow’s game, that’s what matters to me”.
“My level was questioned a lot at the beginning of the season. Now you can see the players. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” he beamed.
Lamine will take inspiration from his idol
Neymar was of course the architect of Barca’s most famous remontada which saw them win 6-1 against Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou back in 2017.
“I’ve seen it many times,” Lamine revealed. “He’s a player who has marked my childhood. He’s my idol. He is a player worth watching a game and playing the ticket for. I thank him for what he’s given to football, and I hope he’s at the World Cup.”
Should Lamine happen to pull off the comeback with Barca, you can rest assured Neymar will be among those congratulating the La Masia number 10 on social media.
