Flick and Inzaghi laud record-breaker Yamal

RTÉ News​

01-05-2025

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick lavished praise on Lamine Yamal after he scored a brilliant goal to spearhead his side's recovery from a two-goal deficit in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
Playing his 100th game at just 17 years and 291 days old, Yamal became the youngest player to score in a Champions League semi-final, eclipsing the record set by Kylian Mbappe, who was 18 when he achieved the feat in 2017.
The young Spain international's stunning individual goal breathed life back into the game for the Catalans after they fell 2-0 behind early in the first half. He went on to hit the woodwork twice and continually troubled the Inter defence in an impressive display.
"Lamine (Yamal) showed us the way with that incredible goal because it was crucial to score that goal after we were losing by two goals, he played really well," Barca manager Hansi Flick told Movistar Plus.
"We played with style and we tried to win. Lamine was a very important player for us... In the big games, as he has already shown, he always turns up."
Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi was also full of praise for Yamal, revealing he had to make several adjustments at half-time to try and contain the talented teenager.
"We had to be better on Lamine Yamal, but it's much easier to say that from outside. He is a player who impressed me and he created a lot of problems for us, mainly in the last 30 minutes of the first half," Inzaghi said.
"Barca are a team of fantastic players and to come here and play a game like this, against the most offensive and most beautiful team in the world must make us proud. We could also have won it but we were playing against a team that has a player who is difficult to mark, who created so many problems for us.
"He is a talent that is born every 50 years, I had never seen him live and today he impressed me."
We need your consent to load this YouTube contentWe use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Inzaghi was satisfied with his side's display but injury concerns cast a shadow over the Italian side's excellent away performance.
Inzaghi's side have fitness concerns ahead of the return leg next Tuesday, with key players sidelined due to injuries. Benjamin Pavard was already out with an ankle injury, while star striker Lautaro Martinez was unable to return for the second half of Wednesday's match due to a hamstring issue.
"Lautaro felt something in his leg and we will know more tomorrow after we run some tests, but it seems extremely unlikely that he can make it to the second leg, which will be a final for us," Inzaghi told Movistar Plus.
"We hope to have Pavard back next Tuesday, but I don't think we can expect the same from Lautaro, unfortunately.
"It will be a final for us and I'm counting on 75,000 of our fans to help us achieve this remarkable accomplishment."
Dutch full-back Denzel Dumfries, who scored twice on Wednesday, downplayed the fact that Inter squandered a two-goal lead, allowing Barcelona to fight back twice and secure a draw.
He praised his side's effort, especially after they suffered three consecutive losses in Italy with back-to-back Serie A defeats and a Coppa Italia exit to rivals AC Milan threatening to derail their season.
"I think it was a good game from our side. After some bad results, we saw the real Inter again, playing with heart out there, and I am really proud," Dumfries told Prime Video.
"Sure, we wanted to win, but it was a good game and a result that leaves the semi-final completely open.
"We will see at San Siro where everything is possible for us. We are a strong team and we have to prove it every game."