Lamine Yamal inspired Barcelona to a 4-1 comeback victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, helping the Spanish side recover from an early setback in Istanbul.
The 19-year-old produced a brilliant second-half performance, creating chances and troubling the home defence as Barcelona scored three goals after the break.
The victory took Barcelona to the top of the Champions League table with two wins from two matches. Galatasaray, meanwhile, remained without a point.
Barcelona started strongly and controlled possession in the opening stages. Galatasaray, however, took the lead in the 27th minute through Aleksei Batrakov.
Rafael Leao led a quick counterattack down the left before finding Batrakov near the edge of the penalty area. The Russian midfielder fired a shot that took a deflection off Joao Cancelo and found the net.
The goal gave Galatasaray confidence as they pushed for a second. Victor Osimhen headed towards goal from a corner, and Baris Yilmaz turned the ball into the net. However, the referee ruled out the goal for offside.
Barcelona soon regained control and found their equaliser through Cancelo.
Dani Olmo collected the ball after a defensive mistake and played a pass to Cancelo, who finished to bring Barcelona level before halftime.
Yamal then took control of the match after the break. In the 50th minute, the young winger delivered a curling cross into the penalty area, where Fermin Lopez headed home to give Barcelona a 2-1 lead.
Three minutes later, Yamal produced another moment of brilliance. He beat Eren Elmali with a series of quick moves before setting up Anthony Gordon, who finished from close range to extend Barcelona’s advantage.
Barcelona continued to attack and added their fourth goal in the 65th minute. Yamal moved inside from the right and played a pass towards substitute Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian failed to control the ball, but it fell to Karim Adeyemi, who fired it into the net.
Yamal also had a chance to score but sent his effort over the crossbar. Although he finished without a goal, the teenager played a major role in Barcelona’s victory. He also took over the captain’s armband after Pedri left the pitch.
Following the match, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised Yamal for changing the game.
“It’s incredible to have players like that,” Flick said. “He’s turned the game around for us.”
Flick added that Yamal’s ability to create chances was nothing new to those who watched him train regularly.
“When you see the chances Lamine creates in every training session, it’s the same in matches,” he said. “I have a lot of top-quality players. Everyone’s watching Lamine – that’s only natural.”
Fermin Lopez also praised his young teammate and highlighted their understanding on and off the pitch.
“He’s a friend and a great team-mate,” Fermin told Spanish broadcaster Movistar. “When he has the ball, I always look for a run. He’s the best in the world. We get along well off the field, and that shows on the pitch, too.”
Fermin admitted that Galatasaray’s opening goal had briefly unsettled Barcelona despite their strong start.
“That goal made things a bit strange for us, because we had been dominating. But we knew how to react and come back,” he said.
The midfielder also urged Barcelona to maintain their form as the season progresses. “We’re at a very high level. We have to keep going; the season is very long. We can’t relax,” he added.
