Lamine Yamal delivered a magical performance to lead Barcelona to a dramatic 3-3 draw against Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The night began disastrously for the Catalans, with Marcus Thuram opening the scoring after just 30 seconds. Inter Milan, unbothered by Barca’s ambitions of a historic quadruple, soon doubled their lead through a stunning acrobatic effort from Denzel Dumfries.
Barcelona, in desperate need of inspiration, found it in their teenage sensation. Yamal, who turns 18 in July, sparked a comeback with a breathtaking solo goal, weaving past defenders before slotting past Sommer. Moments later, he nearly grabbed a second, forcing a fingertip save onto the bar.
Barca’s pressure paid off before halftime when Ferran Torres latched onto a clever Raphinha knockdown to bring the score level at 2-2.
After the break, Inter were dealt a blow as Lautaro Martínez was substituted due to injury. Yet it was Inter who struck next — Dumfries scoring his second on 63 minutes to make it 3-2.
Barcelona had the final say. Raphinha unleashed a thunderous 30-yard strike that cannoned off the bar and deflected in off goalkeeper Yann Sommer to tie the game at 3-3.
Yamal continued to torment Inter’s defense, hitting the bar once more and nearly setting up a winner, but the thrilling contest ended all square.
Player of the Match: Lamine Yamal
The teenager was unstoppable, turning the game with skill, pace, and vision.
Reactions
Simone Inzaghi (Inter Manager):
“Lamine Yamal is a generational talent. He really impressed me. We had to triple-mark him. There were great moments for us, but we suffered too.”
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Inter):
“It was a crazy game—fun to watch but tough to play. We gave it our best, but Barcelona put us under constant pressure.”
Raphinha (Barcelona):
“We could’ve gotten a better result at home, but we’re still alive in the tie. Maybe we took too many risks, but that’s how we play.”
Player Ratings
Barcelona:
Szczesny (7), Kounde (7), Cubarsi (7), Martínez (7), Martin (7), Pedri (7), De Jong (7), Yamal (9), Olmo (6), Raphinha (8), Ferran Torres (8)
Subs: Araujo (7), Gavi (7), Lopez (7), Christensen (7)
Inter Milan:
Sommer (7), Bisseck (7), Acerbi (7), Bastoni (7), Dumfries (9), Barella (7), Hakan (7), Mkhitaryan (7), Dimarco (6), Thuram (8), Lautaro (6)
Subs: Taremi (7), Darmian (7), Zielinski (7), Augusto (7)
Next Leg: All eyes turn to Milan, where the second leg promises another unforgettable night in this thrilling semi-final tie.
