IN a highly anticipated matchup, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal emerged victorious over fellow Spanish star Nico Williams as Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on Saturday.
This marked the first encounter between the two rising talents since they helped Spain clinch the European Championship title.
Yamal, the teenage sensation, opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a stunning goal that drew comparisons to Lionel Messi’s signature moves. After controlling a deflected ball just outside the box, Yamal took two touches to create space before curling a left-footed shot that deflected off Athletic’s Íñigo Lekue and found the back of the net.
Despite the on-field competition, Yamal and Williams exchanged friendly words before and after the match. When asked about their conversation, Yamal declined to share details, simply saying, “We are just good friends.” However, he couldn’t resist a playful jab at his friend, saying, “I saw that Nico, who is not very intense while defending, was coming, and I found the space I needed to shoot.”
Athletic Bilbao managed to equalize in the 42nd minute when Oihan Sancet converted a penalty kick after Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí fouled Alejandro Berenguer in the box. However, Barcelona maintained their pressure and regained the lead in the 75th minute when Robert Lewandowski scored after a well-executed passing sequence involving Raphinha and Pedri. Lewandowski, who had already hit the crossbar earlier, continued his strong start to the season, having also scored twice in Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Valencia in their league opener.
Barcelona’s new coach, Hansi Flick, making his home debut, once again placed his trust in the club’s young talent, starting 17-year-olds Marc Bernal, Pau Cubarsí, and Yamal. Barcelona has reportedly shown interest in signing Williams from Athletic Bilbao during the transfer window, and Flick was seen embracing Williams when he was substituted late in the game. Flick later explained that he was congratulating Williams for his outstanding performance at Euro 2024.
Athletic Bilbao, dealing with injuries to their first-choice and backup goalkeepers, fielded third-string goalkeeper Álex Padilla from their youth squad. Despite this setback, the match showcased the depth of talent in Spanish football, with both teams contributing a total of seven players to Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad.
In other La Liga action, Osasuna secured a 1-0 victory over Mallorca with a 55th-minute goal from Rubén García, marking a successful return to Pamplona for former coach Jagoba Arrasate.
Source: AP
