Barcelona’s young winger Lamine Yamal stated on Monday that he is drawing motivation from basketball icon LeBron James and Brazilian football star Neymar as he aims to inspire a comeback in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid.
The Catalan club suffered a 2-0 defeat last week in the first leg of their quarter-final at home but is determined to progress to the semi-finals for a second consecutive year with a valiant effort on Tuesday at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Yamal updated his Instagram profile picture to a snapshot of James holding the NBA Finals trophy from 2016, a nod to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ historic comeback after trailing the Golden State Warriors 3-1.
“He’s one of my sources of inspiration for tomorrow’s match, which is why I decided to put him there,” Yamal remarked to journalists.
“I’ll keep what he achieved in mind and hope to follow a similar path.”
In a more local context, Neymar was pivotal in Barcelona’s remarkable comeback during the 2017 Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
After a crushing 4-0 loss in the first leg in Paris, Barcelona achieved an incredible 6-1 victory to advance to the quarter-finals.
“I’ve rewatched that game numerous times, and I was there to see it live as well,” the 18-year-old disclosed.
“Neymar is a player who has left a significant mark on my childhood; he is my idol, and I will be eternally grateful for his contributions to football.”
“He’s the kind of player you pay to watch… I hope he shines at the World Cup.”
Yamal made a notable impact for Barcelona last season, contributing to their domestic treble, though their European journey ended in the semi-finals against Inter Milan.
The Spain international, who was awarded the title of second-best player in the world at last year’s Ballon d’Or, found himself largely contained by Atletico in the first leg as he faced double and even triple marking.
“I believe Lamine has performed exceptionally well in the recent matches, and what I advise him is to focus on the areas where he excels as one of the best in the world – one-on-one situations,” Flick commented.
The young winger expressed his desire for more freedom in the upcoming second leg.
“I’m feeling really good and am eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s match; I hope to make a significant impact,” Yamal added.
“Let’s see if (Simeone) can do me a favour and leave me one-on-one against a defender.”
Compiled by SportArena.au
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