Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old Barcelona star, is eyeing this year's Champions League title, but he acknowledges the tough competition that lies ahead. Having already achieved success with La Liga, Euro 2024, and the Supercopa de Espana, Yamal is now aiming to make his mark in Europe's premier club competition.
Barcelona’s strong showing in the 36-team group phase has placed them among the favorites to win the trophy in Munich, Germany, on May 31. Although they finished second in their group, securing automatic qualification for the round of 16, they are poised to compete when the knockout stage kicks off on March 4.
Captain Raphinha, 28, has expressed confidence in his team’s chances, predicting a potential final clash with Manchester City. However, Barcelona has had a challenging domestic season, including a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano and struggles against smaller teams like Leganes and Getafe, where they lost and drew.
Despite these setbacks, Barca delivered a stunning 7-0 victory against Valencia in La Liga and followed it up with a 5-0 win in the Copa del Rey on February 6. Yamal, who has been in impressive form with 11 goals and 15 assists in 32 appearances, has been a standout player for the club.
When asked about their main challengers in the Champions League, Yamal pointed to Liverpool. “I think that only Liverpool are more favourites than us in Champions League… as they arrived first," Yamal remarked. "We can compete to win it. We can be there."
Barcelona's head coach, Hansi Flick, shares a similar sentiment. "The future will tell whether we are among the favourites or not," Flick said in January. "The Champions League is one of the most difficult competitions to win, but we have to try. When I look at Liverpool, I see a team with incredible power. They are one of my favourite teams in the world right now. We are doing well, but there are very good teams that are also doing well, and we are contending on three fronts [Champions League, LaLiga, and Copa del Rey]."
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