Inter manager blown away by Barcelona talent after thrilling draw – ‘Haven’t seen a player like him’ | OneFootball

Despite playing one of his best games yet, Lamine Yamal walked off the pitch looking frustrated. A 3-3 draw against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semi-final was not enough for him, as he wanted the win.

But for Inter boss Simone Inzaghi, the teenager’s performance was something else entirely. The Italian coach openly admitted that Yamal caused chaos for his team and described the youngster as a once-in-a-generation talent.

Inzaghi did not hold back in his praise for the 16-year-old Barcelona winger. “Lamine Yamal? I haven’t seen a player like him in the last 8 or 9 years,” he said after the game.

“He gave us huge problems. We had to double-mark him, and even that didn’t work—sometimes a third defender had to step in, which left us exposed elsewhere.”

Lamine Yamal opened to scoring for Barcelona (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Yamal scored a brilliant goal, hit the post twice, and had Inter’s defence scrambling all night. Inzaghi admitted that what he saw was not just a good game from a young player, but the rise of something special.

“Yamal is a phenomenon that only appears once every 50 years,” he added.

Reflecting on the draw

Looking ahead to the second leg of the Champions League semi-final in Milan, Inzaghi said, “It will be like a final. We are proud of the game we played today—it was against the best team in the world.”

Still, the Inter coach could not hide his regret about letting a two-goal lead slip.

“There’s some disappointment. We were 2-0 up and didn’t manage to hold it. Also, there’s the disallowed goal. I still don’t understand that offside call. These are the small things that can change a match.”

Next Tuesday, the tie will be settled in Italy, with both teams knowing a win will send them to the final. But one thing is clear: Yamal has left his mark.

Source: Mundo Deportivo