FC Barcelona was expelled from Europe in the semifinals of the Champions League. They lost 4-3 in the second leg against Inter Milan.
In this context, journalist Nacho Peña harshly criticized Lamine Yamal in El Desmarque for his lack of effectiveness in the match.
Criticism of Yamal's Lack of Goals
Nacho Peña pointed out that Lamine Yamal "misses more than a fairground rifle," highlighting the opportunities wasted by the young Barça forward. Despite his talent and youth, Yamal failed to capitalize on the chances presented to him. The team paid for it.
The review of the match highlighted the excellent performance of Swiss goalkeeper Yan Sommer. Nacho Peña didn't focus on that, instead on Lamine Yamal's lack of accuracy in front of the goal.
Lamine had a one-on-one with the Swiss goalkeeper at 3-3 that could have decided the match. He missed again in front of the goal.
"Lamine Yamal Must Be Demanded Like Vinícius"
Nacho Peña didn't downplay Lamine Yamal's quality: "He's amazing, he gets you off your seat, he's to be applauded but misses more than a fairground rifle."
Matías Prats tried to discredit him, although he couldn't do it with a list of Lamine's goals. "You're blaming a 17-year-old kid who has had an unbelievable knockout stage. He carried the team on his back and made a comeback in Barcelona," he said.
But Nacho Peña has very clear ideas about a forward who isn't used to scoring goals. "This guy is destined to be a Ballon d'Or winner. Well, I'm going to demand from him until the last moment.
Just like we did with Vinícius back in the day and criticized him when he dribbled past everyone but missed in front of the goalkeeper."
Lamine Yamal's Performance in the Match
During the match, Yamal showed flashes of his quality but was again inaccurate in front of the goal. The forward had several clear goal opportunities that he failed to materialize, which caused frustration both in him and in Barcelona fans.
Barcelona's elimination was a hard blow for the team and its supporters. While some players expressed their disappointment and commitment to improve, others, like journalist Nacho Peña, demanded greater effectiveness in key moments. Lamine can't be exempt from this demand.