FC Barcelona ended the first leg against Inter Milan with a 3-3 draw, but they were dominant for much of the match and could have scored more, had it not been for Yann Sommer’s remarkable goalkeeping. Despite the Italians taking an early 2-0 lead, the Catalan club’s resilience came to the fore, as it has so many times this season.

The second half unfolded as expected, with Barcelona enjoying the majority of possession, while Inter posed a greater threat on the counter-attack, creating problems for Barcelona’s high defensive line.

The Serie A champions scored from a corner, but Raphinha equalised with a stunning long-range shot, meaning both teams go into the second leg at San Siro with nothing to separate them.

Yamal Shines Despite Injury Concern

One player who faced injury concerns ahead of the match was Lamine Yamal, who was seen holding his adductor during the warm-up. Nevertheless, he was declared fit and took his place in the starting lineup. The Spaniard went on to produce arguably the best first half of his career.

Yamal took matters into his own hands, dancing past several Inter defenders before curling in a beautiful strike that struck the far post and went in. Minutes later, he took on Dimarco and nearly beat Sommer from a tight angle, only for the ball to hit the post and go wide.

Haaland Applauds Yamal's Brilliance on the Big Stage

Such an eye-catching performance didn’t go unnoticed, earning praise from Manchester City star Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker, widely regarded as one of the best goal-scoring talents of his generation, shared a photo of Yamal on Snapchat with the caption, "This guy is incredible," as reported by Barca Times.

Haaland, who rarely comments publicly on players from other teams, did not hesitate to call the Barcelona winger 'incredible', a term that carries significant weight coming from a player of his stature.

At just 17 years old, playing for Barcelona is an extraordinary feat, and performing on such a grand stage with no apparent nerves is definitely not for the faint-hearted. However, Yamal appears to be unaffected, despite it being his first Champions League semi-final.

Barcelona have not had a player with such a big-game mentality in a long time, and every time, he lets his football do the talking. It is remarkable to witness a Barcelona player being praised by someone as accomplished as Erling Haaland.

What Yamal brings to the team is unique, which is why his potential absence could have been catastrophic for Barcelona. In the end, he did start the match and delivered an unforgettable first 45 minutes.

It remains to be seen whether Yamal can guide his team to a Champions League title this season. And who knows? In the distant future, we could see a Barcelona side with Yamal providing assists to Erling Haaland. It's free to dream, isn’t it?