Hansi Flick hailed Lamine Yamal after the teenage prodigy produced a scintillating show as Barcelona twice got here from behind to attract 3-3 with Inter Milan in an exhilarating Champions League semi-final first leg at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
The 17-year-old, making his one centesimal Barcelona look, scored a elegant solo effort and twice hit the crossbar on an evening when the 2 groups traded gorgeous targets and Marcus Thuram and Raphinha each made historical past.
“Lamine has proven us the trail we should always comply with,” mentioned Flick after the sport.
“I’m very proud of the group. We should hold preventing till the tip.”
Simply think about these two in the identical aspect 💭 pic.twitter.com/vV98Euygda
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Thuram struck the fasted objective in Champions League semi-final historical past when he discovered the web with an audacious back-heel flick after simply 30 seconds.
Denzel Dumfries then doubled Inter’s benefit with an equally spectacular over-head kick earlier than Yamal halved the deficit when he danced via the Inter group and curled an effort into the far nook.
The fledgling winger was in impressed kind. Ferran Torres levelled shortly earlier than the break from a Raphinha header because the Brazilian twentieth Champions League objective contribution this time period noticed him eclipse Lionel Messi for many in a single season for the Catalan membership.
Dumfries reclaimed Inter’s lead within the second-half however Flick’s aspect once more hit again via a fierce Raphinha strike that hit the bar earlier than clipping Yann Sommer on its means in.
Simone Inzaghi’s aspect then had a objective dominated out for offside however it was an evening that belonged to Yamal as Barcelona’s hopes for a treble-winning season stay in tact.
Flick, nevertheless, acknowledged the menace their semi-final opponents from Italy pose.
“We’re speaking a couple of Champions League semi-final,” mentioned the Barca boss.
“The groups are nice. They [Inter] have expertise, and so they confirmed it at the moment. That they had a bonus in set-piece conditions, with 4 or 5 tall gamers, and so they took benefit of it.
“Within the first half we had ups and downs, and the second half was spectacular. In Milan, we’ll play a remaining earlier than the ultimate.”
Flick and his group journey to San Siro to play Inter within the second-leg on Tuesday.
