Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal, not afraid to face Inter Milan’s challenge in the Champions League semifinals, insisted that he “had a long time ago the fear of leaving the park in Mataro”.
Mataro is a small Catalan town where Yamal grew up before spending time with his father, and he was snapped up by Barca and moved to La Masia.
He has made great progress since then, with the 17-year-old going to 100 Barcelona appearances against the International Front in the first round of the last four tie tomorrow night. In the top 99, he scored 21 goals and provided 27 assists.
The winger said: “At my age, few players have played a lot of games in clubs like Barcelona, and that’s what I value the most. Playing at this level with clubs like Barcelona is not only someone who can do it.”
Confidence is not a bullish Yamal problem
His fearless approach not only shows his acting style, but also shows his confidence in media projections.
“I left my fear in the park in Matarot a long time ago,” he said, also refuting his suggestion of occupying the scale of the stage now.
🎙️LamineYamal: “I left my fear in Mataró a long time ago.”#Barçainter @championsleague pic.twitter.com/bbzvm2rbjo
– Football Club Barcelona (@fcbarcelona) April 29, 2025
Yamal competed in the final of Saturday’s Brutal Cup Copa del Rey, against Sevilla’s Real Madrid-Barca won the game 3-2 in overtime and will face Inter tomorrow against Inter Milan.
He added: “I won’t call it pressure. The atmosphere like the cup final, with two competitors, you have to go out and enjoy it. I don’t put pressure on myself, just enjoy the moment and give it all. I hope to live again.”
Critics only need Barcelona to win
Yamal dyed his hair blonde before the Madrid match and seemed to be getting used to his superstar status.
However, that doesn’t mean he has lost his focus.
He said of his critics: “As long as I win, they will not tell me anything. When we don’t win, yes, yes.”
With his new bleached look and his growing activity on social media, he added: “I do these things to make time pass faster. I do these things because I’m bored at home. That’s it.”
The victory over Madrid on Saturday was very pleased with Blaugrana, but owner Hansi Flick said the celebration was completed and their focus was on Inter.
“We had a meeting to see what we were going to do and how we could improve by watching the game against Real Madrid.
“We have to produce the best versions of two games targeting the International Bureau.
“We will focus on the first leg. Inter Milan is a very complex competitor and one of the best defenses in Europe. They have a very good midfield and a good forward. The transition is very dangerous. It will be a tough game and you have to be prepared.
“We’ve talked about things we have to change. We have to protect and cover the space. It’s important to own property, make mistakes and defend a good place.”
Flick confirmed Wojciech Szczesny would continue to score, and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen missed it.
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