Barcelona’s young winger, Lamine Yamal, expressed on Monday that he is drawing motivation from basketball legend LeBron James and Brazilian football star Neymar as he gears up to help his team stage a comeback in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid.
The Catalan club suffered a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the quarter-finals at home last week and is determined to reach the final four for a second consecutive year by launching a fightback on Tuesday at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Yamal has updated his Instagram profile picture to feature James holding the NBA finals trophy from 2016, a moment when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to an unprecedented comeback against the Golden State Warriors after being down 3-1.
“He serves as one of my role models for inspiration ahead of tomorrow’s match; that’s why I chose that image,” Yamal shared with the media.
“I’ll reflect on what he accomplished, and I’m hopeful for a similar outcome.”
Neymar, closer to Barcelona’s history, played a pivotal role in the club’s remarkable comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2017.
After a daunting 4-0 loss in the first leg in Paris, Barcelona netted an incredible 6-1 victory to progress to the quarter-finals.
“I’ve replayed that match multiple times and also watched it live,” remarked the 18-year-old.
“Neymar has been a significant influence throughout my childhood; he is my idol, and I will always be thankful for what he has contributed to football.
“He’s the kind of player you pay to watch… I hope to see him at the World Cup.”
Last season, Yamal was instrumental as Barça clinched a domestic treble, although their European journey ended with a semi-final loss to Inter Milan.
The Spanish international, who received the accolade of the second-best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or awards last year, faced tight marking from Atletico in the first leg, often being double or even triple-teamed.
“I believe Lamine has excelled in recent matches, and my advice to him is to focus on his exceptional one-on-one skills, which make him among the best in the world right now,” said Flick.
The young talent expressed his desire for more space in the second leg.
“I’m feeling good and eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s game; I hope I can make a difference,” Yamal added.
“Let’s see if (Simeone) grants me the opportunity to go one-on-one against a player.”
Compiled by SportArena.au
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