During Barcelona’s first goal, if Lamine Yamal’s plan had succeeded, he might not have set the record he did on this day.
In the Champions League match against Benfica, Rafinha opened the scoring early with a pass from his young teammate, Lamine Yamal. Now, the story behind that goal has been revealed. Despite the praise for his excellent contribution, Yamal admitted that he had actually intended to take the shot himself for the goal!
In Barcelona’s 3-1 win on Tuesday at the Olympic Stadium, Yamal made an incredible impact, scoring and assisting, setting a remarkable record. At just 17 years and 241 days old, he became the youngest player to score and assist in a single Champions League match.
However, after the match, Yamal revealed that if everything had gone according to his plan during the first goal, he might not have set the record.
“I have to thank Rafinha because I was trying to take the shot, but it turned into a pass for him.”
After Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi equalized just two minutes after, Yamal scored again in the 27th minute with a stunning curling shot from outside the box, a move similar to one he made in the semi-final of the 2024 European Championship against France.
“I always try that shot, and today it worked,” Yamal said.
Barcelona triumphed 4-1 on aggregate over Benfica and advanced to the quarter-finals, where they will face either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the semi-finals.
