Lamine Yamal has paid an unlimited praise to Liverpool, albeit one which might sound bittersweet to Reds supporters.
Whereas the 17-year-old nonetheless has the chance to change into a European champion at membership degree along with serving to Spain win Euro 2024, with Barcelona into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Arne Slot’s facet should wait till subsequent season to attempt to win the trophy for the seventh time.
Regardless of ending high of the revamped singular league part, LFC have been downed by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties within the spherical of 16, with the Ligue 1 giants having ended Barca’s hopes on this match final yr by overturning a first-leg deficit within the away fixture (sound acquainted?…)
Yamal claims Barcelona at the moment are Champions League favourites
Removed from being haunted by that quarter-final exit 11 months in the past, Yamal has confidently backed his facet to assert Champions League glory this yr, within the course of paying a big praise to Liverpool.
In an interview with Spanish publication Sport, the Barcelona winger stated: “We’re favourites to win the Champions League now that Liverpool are out of the competitors.
“We’re not afraid of any staff. We’re a household, and we’re not the identical as one yr in the past in opposition to PSG. When the group stage ended, I stated Liverpool have been the favourites as a result of they have been first; and now that they’ve fallen, it’s us.”
Yamal clearly has a number of respect for Liverpool
Whereas LFC followers will seemingly respect the praise from one of the vital gifted younger forwards in world soccer, Yamal’s reminder about our elimination from the Champions League additionally brings again agonising reminiscences of the Anfield defeat to PSG and shines a highlight on what might’ve been.
Having seemingly accomplished the laborious half by profitable the primary leg in Paris regardless of being outclassed, Liverpool had their lead cancelled out at residence after which noticed Gianluigi Donnarumma decisively thwart Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones within the penalty shootout.
As soon as the damage had subsided, solace may very well be discovered within the realisation that a wonderful PSG staff wanted penalties to knock out the Reds, who’re nonetheless in a superb place to finish the season with silverware by profitable the Premier League, through which they’ve a 12-point lead over Arsenal.
Additionally, if (admittedly a giant if) the Anfield hierarchy can persuade our huge names to signal new contracts and/or make just a few astute additions in the summertime switch window, there’s no motive why Slot’s staff can’t have a severe crack at profitable the Champions League in 2025/26.
Yamal’s feedback present simply how a lot respect Liverpool command amongst among the greatest gamers in Europe, and Barcelona could also be fairly relieved that we’re not round to inflict extra European heartbreak on them this yr after that evening in Might 2019!
