Lamine Yamal Makes Bold Champions League Claim After Barcelona Elimination | OneFootball

Barcelona's dreams of winning a treble and ending a 10-year drought without lifting the UEFA Champions League came to an end in a heartbreaking semifinals defeat to Inter Milan.

In one of the greatest-ever Champions League semifinals ties, Barcelona were seconds away from advancing to the final only for it all to come crashing down as the Nerazzurri scored once in stoppage time and again in extra time to win it 7–6 on aggregate.

Barça players were visibly emotional after the final whistle, having come so close to reaching the Champions League final for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

One of those players was Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old star was one of the main reasons the Catalans were so close to reaching the final. His goal in the first leg made him the youngest player ever to score in a Champions League semifinal. The teenager tormented Inter's back line for the entirety of the tie.

Had it not been for Yann Sommer's heroic saves and the three times his shots hit the woodwork over both legs, Barcelona could very well be finalists.

In the aftermath of Barcelona's defeat, Yamal took to social media to send a message to all Barcelona fans, making a promise to the Blaugrana faithful for what's to come.

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"We gave it our all, this year it wasn't to be but we'll be back, have no doubt about it," Yamal wrote on Instagram. "Culers [Barcelona fans] we won't stop until we put this club back where it belongs, at the very top. I will keep my promise and I will bring it [the Champions League] to Barcelona, we won't stop until we achieve it."

After breaking out a season ago and tearing up the 2024 Euros during Spain's title-winning run, Yamal was one of the best players in the Champions League this season, scoring five goals, tallying three assists and leaving plenty of magical moments behind for fans to savor for years to come.

Raphinha, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, were among the many other Barcelona players that also took to social media to react to the painful Champions League exit.

Yamal ended his message by saying, "But on Sunday it's another final and we need to be together. Visca el Barça!" This is referencing the upcoming Clásico vs. Real Madrid that could very well decide the La Liga champion in what's been a thrilling title race.

Barcelona must listen to the words of their teenage star and quickly leave behind the pain of their Champions League exit to be ready for Real Madrid's visit on Sunday. Defeating their bitter rivals for the fourth time this season to essentially clinch the La Liga title is exactly what Barcelona needs to recover from the heartbreaking loss at San Siro.