Ahead of the crucial Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal has urged his team not to consider a potential comeback as a miracle. Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Catalan giants are determined to overcome Los Colchoneros and avoid a fourth home defeat of the season for their opponents.
When questioned about revenge as a motivator, given Atletico’s elimination of Barcelona from the Copa del Rey earlier this season, Yamal stated, “It’s true that we were eliminated from the Cup, but not only for this reason. Barca has been chasing the Champions League for many years, we are very eager to advance to the next round, and we are Barça and we will give it our all.” He emphasized the immense importance of the Champions League, describing it as the pinnacle of football alongside the World Cup, and expressed his lifelong dream of winning it with Barcelona.
Yamal, referencing Barcelona’s historic 6-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, highlighted the importance of intensity and maintaining their playing style. “We have to not think that it’s a miracle to come back. We’ll play as we know how. It’s a game we start 2-0 down,” he declared.
He made a firm promise to the Barcelona faithful: “We promise that if we are eliminated, it will be fighting until the end, we will not leave a single minute without pressing and running, we will give it our all, it will be a 90-minute game or more, it is not over, a comeback is very possible and that is why we are here.”
The talented forward expressed confidence in the depth of quality within the squad, stating, “Luckily I’m playing for Barca and there are many high-quality players, world-class veterans who prove it every year. I don’t think it’s just me who’s going to fail. If it were, I wouldn’t mind either. We have many players who can turn things around on their own, and that’s why I have faith in the team.”
Yamal also underscored the significance of the La Masia academy’s influence on the team’s unity and fighting spirit. “It’s very important for matches like tomorrow’s, we’re all from here and we love Barça, we’ll give everything until the end, no matter how, if there’s a chance we’ll play and fight until the end.” He drew inspiration from LeBron James, hoping for a similar impactful performance.
Historically, only one team has managed to come back from a two-goal deficit to win a Champions League knockout tie away from home – Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United against Paris Saint-Germain. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, has never lost a Champions League knockout match on home soil, making Barcelona’s task a significant challenge.
