Lamine Yamal is looking to LeBron James for inspiration as he aims to help Barcelona stage a comeback in the Champions League quarterfinals against Atlético Madrid this Tuesday.
After Barça’s 2-0 loss in the first leg at Spotify Camp Nou last week, a meme resurfaced referencing the 2016 NBA Finals, where a James-led Cleveland Cavaliers team came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors.
This meme features an image of James with the caption: “No team in NBA Finals history has come back from trailing 3-1 (0-32).” The Barça version reads, “FC Barcelona have never beaten Atlético in the Champions League over two legs.” Yamal even acknowledged this trend by updating his Instagram profile picture to one of James earlier this week.
“LeBron is one of the references that inspires me for the game,” Yamal shared during a news conference on Monday when asked about his new profile picture. “I chose it for that reason. I think about how he accomplished it [in 2016], hoping for a similar outcome for us.”
Yamal will play a key role at the Metropolitano as Barça attempts to overturn a two-goal deficit and secure a semifinal spot against either Arsenal or Sporting Clube.
At just 18 years old, Yamal has had a standout season, scoring 22 goals and providing 18 assists in 43 matches, and he claims the pressure doesn’t worry him.
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“From a young age, I’ve taken on significant responsibility, so I’m used to it,” he remarked. “I don’t consider it a problem; rather, it’s a virtue. I enjoy playing with my teammates, and fortunately, I have the opportunity to play for Barcelona, which is filled with world-class players—both veterans and young talents.”
“While I don’t mind leading, it’s about the team’s collective performance. I have complete faith in my teammates.”
This will be the sixth encounter between Barça and Atlético this season. Barça triumphed in both LaLiga fixtures but suffered a 4-0 defeat in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg in Madrid and narrowly missed a turnaround in the return match, winning 3-0.
Facing a two-goal deficit rather than four makes this task seem less daunting, even though it’s still on the road.
“We have to continue to fight for the badge and give everything, just like we have all season,” Yamal stated. “We must play with intensity while maintaining our style; that’s crucial. We can’t approach this thinking we need a miracle to come back. It’s just one game. We acknowledge it starts at 2-0, but we will play as we know and give our all.”
Barça coach Hansi Flick recognized the challenge ahead but remained hopeful about achieving the needed result to stay in the tournament. “It’s a tough task, but I believe in my team, and we can make it happen,” he expressed. “It’s possible. Why not? We face a strong team with exceptional players; thus, we need both a solid defense and to be bold in our offense: attack and press. We have to seize every opportunity. The last game showcased the difference. Tomorrow might bring a completely different momentum to us.”
However, Barça will be without injured players Raphinha and Andreas Christensen. Furthermore, Pau Cubarsí is suspended after a red card in the first leg. Marc Bernal remains uncertain, though he has traveled with the team, while Flick mentioned that Frenkie de Jong might make his first start since February after returning as a substitute last weekend.