Barcelona sensational youngster Lamine Yamal has revealed how felt when he made his first Clásico appearance against Real Madrid last season ahead of this weekend’s showdown between LaLiga’s top two.
Yamal has been on top of his game since he rose to stardom last year. He was just 16-years-old when he came off the bench in the 76th minute at the Olympic Stadium as Barça were beaten 2-1 by Madrid last October.
However, things has changed over the course of the year with the 17-year-old now ranked among the best in his position.
Lamine Yamal looks on during the LaLiga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 21, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Getty Images)
Yamal has not insisted that there was some tension when it came to facing Los Blancos for the first time.
“I have never been nervous in a game to be honest, but when I came on for my Clásico debut, there were some nerves,” he told LaLiga World ahead of Saturday’s match at the Bernabéu.
“I saw the faces of the opponents and how good they were. And just as I was coming on, there were a few nerves, but when I got on that was it, I forgot about everything. I played and I enjoyed it.
“You see the quality there is in these matches. In the end, they are decided by the small details. Clásicos are always special. It is the Clásico and we all want to win it.”
Yamal has since overcome the nerves to help Spain win the European Championship in the summer. He has also made over 60 appearances for Barça’s first team.
The young forward has broken various records but he’s insisting he does not think too much about this.
“I don’t usually think about it much, but now that I am saying it, yes, there are many things that make you very happy and I hope there are more to come,” he added of all his records.
As a result of his performances, his public profile in Spain has soared, with his No.19 Barcelona shirt one of the club’s biggest sellers.
“I was already more or less aware of it when I made my debut, but this summer was the boom I think because now you go to the airport and you see people wearing my shirt,” he said.
“You go around Barcelona and there are a lot of people [wearing my shirt]. My mum tells me that when she takes my brother to school, they are at the bus stop with the typical posters and I am on them. I am living a dream.”
Yamal will be eager to make his mark on the Clásico as he will be facing a strong opposition in Real Madrid’s defense. The winger is likely to lock horns with Ferland Mendy.
