Barcelona fans were treated to a night of raw brilliance and drama as 16-year-old Lamine Yamal delivered a show above his years to help the Catalan giants come back from an all-but-assured defeat against Inter Milan in a game that will be remembered for years to come.
Inter started off in top gear. Their early pressure and rapid counter-attacks left Barcelona reeling. Half-time had not yet been reached when the Italian side had already scored twice. Barca was shaky at the back and nervous in midfield. But before things appeared to get out of control, the spark materialised—his name, Lamine Yamal.
The young man, already being spoken of as being among the most exciting young stars in European football, was not intimidated. With every touch of the ball, he brought life to the game of Barcelona. In the 58th minute, he picked up the ball on the flank, beat two Inter defenders with a jink, and coolly put it into the bottom corner. The Camp Nou erupted.
Yamal’s target not only reduced the deficit—turned the tables. The rest of the squad followed his work. Pedri and Gündoğan began dictating the tempo, and the team’s press became more assertive. Inter, now dominant, started to break.
With ten minutes remaining, Lewandowski scored the leveller after an exquisite pass from Raphinha. But Barcelona were not done yet. At the death of stoppage time, it was again Yamal who sliced through the defence with a pinpoint through ball that created the winning score. The youngster did not score the final goal himself, but he provided the opportunity that guaranteed the comeback.
At the end whistle, Xavi manager could not hide his admiration. “What we saw tonight from Yamal wasn’t talent, it was maturity, courage, and the spirit of this club,” he said.
Fans and experts alike are hailing it as a night of coming-of-age for the young winger. While comparisons with Messi might be a tad premature, Yamal’s composure and football sense augur well for Barcelona’s future.
This game will be remembered not just for the comeback, but also for the emergence of a new star who bore the weight of the moment and inspired an entire team.
