Lamine Yamal has vowed to bring the Champions League trophy back to Barcelona after their crushing quarter-final exit to Atletico Madrid.
Yamal, 18, produced a sparkling display at the Metropolitano last night, scoring the opening goal as Barca won 2-1, but it was not enough as Atletico’s controversial 2-0 win at Camp Nou proved sufficient for them to go through 3-2 on aggregate.
The Catalan giants have not been crowned European champions since 2015 – over the intervening period, their arch rivals Real Madrid have clinched the trophy five times – and Yamal says the fight will go on.
He posted on Instagram: “We gave everything, but it wasn’t enough. This is only part of the journey: to reach the top you have to climb, and we know it won’t be easy, nor will they make it easy for us. But giving up is not an option.
“We have more than enough reasons to believe, and we’re going to go after them with everything we’ve got. Every mistake is a lesson, and don’t doubt that we will learn from each and every one.
“We are Barça, and we will be back where we belong. My parents taught me that a man’s word is always kept… and we will bring it [the Champions League] that Barcelona.”
Barcelona star Gavi: ‘We ate them with potatoes’
It was a hugely frustrating night for Hansi Flick and his side.
They swiftly eradicated their disadvantage from the first game with Yamal and Ferran Torres on target inside the opening 24 minutes.
Ademola Lookman pulled one back shortly after the half-hour mark but Barca’s hopes of a grandstand finish to rescue the tie were effectively ended when defender Eric Garcia was sent off with 11 minutes to go for a foul on Alexander Sorloth.
Barca midfielder Gavi felt the visitors were the dominant side throughout.
The 21-year-old said: “Maybe they have a little experience in these games. Experience counts.”
He added using a Spanish idiom that expressed their superiority: “We have eaten them with potatoes the whole game but, in the end, we have to go home.
“We were good, and we know that we are better than them, but in the end it’s about scoring goals and winning.”
Source:
www.101greatgoals.com
