Blaugrana will be aiming for a feat managed only once in Champions League history but the 18-year-old is confident about his side’s chances
Barcelona face a crunch Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, where they will need to overturn a 2-0 deficit away from home to stay in the competition.
But ahead of the match at the Metropolitano, teenage winger Lamine Yamal was bullish about his side’s chances and dismissed the idea that a comeback would require something extraordinary.
“We mustn’t think of a comeback as a miracle,” Yamal said. “I’ve been lucky enough that, ever since I was a child, I’ve had to take on more responsibility than I should have. I’m used to it.
“I just focus on enjoying it, on not seeing it as a problem, but as a strength. I’m grateful for everything that’s happening to me.”
The 18-year-old will be central to the club’s hopes of progressing as he continues to build on last season’s form to rack up even better numbers this term. He has scored 22 goals and registered 18 assists in 43 appearances this season and is much more influential in the team.
Yamal will be drawing inspiration from LeBron James, and he referenced the NBA star’s role in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 comeback from 3-1 down in the Finals.
“Lebron is one of the figures inspiring me for the game,” Yamal said. “I put it as my photo for that reason. I am thinking about how he did it [in 2016] and hoping for the same result for us.”
Only once in Champions League history has a team overturned a 2-0 first-leg home defeat: Manchester United against Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
In 2013, Barcelona reversed a 2-0 first-leg away deficit against AC Milan to win 4-0 at Camp Nou. The most famous comeback in the competition’s history is also an achievement of the Blaugrana: the 6-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain after losing 4-0 in 2017.
But both of those turnarounds were at home. Barcelona will need to achieve this particular comeback away at the Estadio Metropolitano, which makes it doubly difficult.
Still, Yamal insists belief remains within the squad, many of whom have come through the club’s academy.
“It’s very important to have lots of La Masia players on the pitch for matches like tomorrow’s,” Yamal said. “We’re all home-grown. We all love Barca. We know what a moment like this means. We’ll give it our all right to the end.
“We promise that, if we’re knocked out, we’ll fight right to the end. We’ll give our all for this badge. It’ll be a match lasting 90 minutes or more. This isn’t over yet. A comeback is very much possible, which is why we’re here.”
Head coach Hansi Flick understands the scale of the challenge but he has backed his side to respond.
“It’s tough for us, but I believe in my team, that we can make it happen,” Flick said. “It’s possible. Why not? I know we play a strong team with fantastic players, so we need a strong and stable defence, but we have to be brave in offence, attack, press.”
