Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo believes Inter Milan’s plan to double-team Lamine Yamal could actually play into their hands.
For the past year, Yamal’s impressive performances have left opponents worried. Following last week’s match, the spotlight on him has grown even more. Despite being young, this incredibly mature forward has been a menace for defenders, and now, Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi plans to deploy two players to guard him. However, Olmo doesn’t see this as a concern.
In the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, Barcelona took the lead twice, only to draw 3-3 against Inter Milan in an intense match. Yamal was the star of the show, playing a pivotal role in bringing Barcelona back into the game after being two goals down in just 21 minutes. He scored a stunning goal, bypassing defenders and firing into the far post.
He also created two more clear chances, but luck wasn’t on his side, and his shot hit the crossbar in the dying seconds of the game, saving Inter.
Ahead of the return leg, Inter’s coach is more cautious about Yamal. In the pre-match press conference, Inzaghi mentioned, “We need to try to ensure he doesn’t get the ball, though that’s impossible. We will have two players guarding him.”
When asked about this statement, Dani Olmo responded with unwavering confidence, emphasizing his teammate’s ability.
“We all know what kind of player he is. His great performance (against Inter) doesn’t surprise me at all. From the European Championship, he’s been very calm and highly motivated,” Olmo said.
“If they want to double-team him, that means one of our players will be unmarked, and he’s already shown that he can play against one, two, or even three defenders. With that in mind, we’ll have more unmarked players. No problem.”
The return leg will take place at San Siro on Tuesday night at 1 AM Bangladesh time.
