Barcelona’s young winger Lamine Yamal revealed on Monday that he is drawing motivation from basketball legend LeBron James and Brazilian football star Neymar as he seeks to inspire a Champions League comeback against Atletico Madrid.
The Catalan club suffered a 2-0 defeat last week in the first leg of the quarter-finals on home turf, but they are determined to fight back on Tuesday at the Metropolitano Stadium in a bid to reach the final four for the second consecutive year.
Yamal recently updated his Instagram profile picture to a snapshot of James with the NBA Finals trophy from 2016, when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an extraordinary comeback victory over the Golden State Warriors after trailing 3-1.
“He’s one of the role models that inspires me for tomorrow’s match, which is why I decided to feature him,” Yamal shared with the media.
“I’ll be thinking about his achievements, and I hope to replicate that success.”
In terms of local inspiration, Neymar played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s remarkable comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2017 Champions League last 16.
After suffering a 4-0 defeat in the first leg in Paris, Barcelona pulled off a stunning 6-1 win to progress to the quarter-finals.
“I’ve watched that match countless times and was there to witness it live,” said the 18-year-old.
“Neymar has been a significant influence throughout my childhood; he is my idol, and I’ll always be thankful for his contributions to football.
“He’s the sort of player you pay to see… I truly hope he can participate in the World Cup.”
Yamal made a significant impact for Barcelona last season, contributing to their domestic treble, although their European campaign ended disappointingly with a semi-final setback against Inter Milan.
The Spain international, who earned the title of the second-best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or awards last year, found himself heavily marked by Atletico in the first leg, often facing double or even triple coverage.
“I believe Lamine has performed excellently in recent matches, and what I advise him is to focus on his strengths where he is currently among the best in the world—one-on-one situations,” stated Flick.
The young talent expressed his desire for more space in the second leg.
“I feel really good and am eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s match; I hope to make a significant impact,” added Yamal.
“Let’s hope (Simeone) does me a favour and allows me to go one-on-one against a defender.”
Compiled by SportArena.au
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