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We’re delighted to announce that Lamine Yamal now owns the Santiago Bernabeu

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Yamal-finger-point © PA Images

Just days on from thrashing Bayern Munich while barely breaking a sweat, Hansi Flick’s La Masia kids have run riot once again.

Speaking in David vs Goliath terms when discussing Barcelona against Real Madrid would typically be a rather outrageous stance to analyse a game from, but given the gap that has formed between the two in recent years, it’s actually pretty spot on.

Especially when you consider that this was an (almost) all-conquering Real side boosted by the signing of Kylian Mbappe hosting a fragile Barcelona side with no less than six young La Masia graduates in the starting XI.

When one of those graduates is Lamine Yamal, though, you needn’t worry. The kid is an absolute superstar.

The story that stole the headlines was a breathtaking Barcelona performance with Flick’s masterplan being an incredibly well-choreographed high line, which allowed Barcelona to frustrate their rivals before using press resistance and slick passing to decimate them in transition.

Raphinha’s performance was breathtaking and once again Marc Casado stood out in midfield, but it’s impossible to look past Yamal, who made it 3-0 in the 77th minute with a record-breaking finish.

Extraordinary as ever from the teenage freak, he needed only two touches to kill the game. One to take in a brilliant pass from Raphinha, and the second to fire the ball into the roof of the net beyond a helpless Andriy Lunin.

Seriously Andriy, thanks for coming, but don’t bother next time. Kid’s a complete anomaly.

READ NEXT: The 10 top scorers in El Clasico history for Barcelona & Real Madrid: Messi, Ronaldo…

TRY A QUIZ: The ultimate El Clasico quiz: 30 tough questions on Real Madrid & Barcelona’s red-hot rivalry

Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in the history of El Clasico with the goal and made it 3-0 on the night, but what we loved most was the newfound attitude after scoring.

While normally we’d expect a young player’s fearlessness to come out in how they play, the 17-year-old took it a step further and was sure to tip the Bernabeu to boiling point with his celebrations.

After smashing in the misery compiler in an eventual 4-0 thrashing, he ran to the corner flag mimicking Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘calma’ celebration, before cheekily breaking out into dance – the same dance Vinicius Junior usually pulls out after scoring.

As if being extraordinarily good at football at such a young age wasn’t enough, he’s now developed the sh*thouse gene too. You love to see it.

You have to go back to 2022 to find the last time La Blaugrana rocked up to the Santiago Bernabeu and beat Los Blancos in a league contest.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brace and Sergio Busquets was patrolling the midfield in a 4-0 win, which tells you everything you need to know about the journey Barça have been on in the time since.

Even then, though, that felt cheap. Their capture of the 2022-23 La Liga title under Xavi papered over cracks and concealed the fact that they were still activating more economic levers than we’ve had hot dinners here at Planet Football.

So when Xavi was dismissed, a hard reset was needed once again. Flick has provided that in the most perfect way, tapping into exactly what makes Barcelona so special in the first place.

Winning is one thing, but winning in style, fuelled by La Masia, is another feeling entirely.

Yamal is central to restoring that feeling and firing them back to the top – even if he’s so young that he’s changing the colour of his braces to red and blue to mark the big occasion.

Sickening. We never stood a chance of making it pro, did we?

Barcelona now sit pretty atop of La Liga with 10 wins out of 11 and have already pulled a six-point gap on their El Clasico rivals with that huge away victory.

The Flick revolution is just beginning and Yamal is just warming up – wait until he learns the shush celebration.

By Mitch Wilks

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2026 World Cup: Super Eagles waiting for FIFA’s decision – Iwobi

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Super Eagles playmaker, Alex Iwobi, has admitted they are waiting to see if the team would still play at the 2026 World Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is optimistic of a potential lifeline from FIFA, after it submitted a petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Iwobi was asked by SuperSport if he would rather lift the AFCON 2025 trophy or qualify for the World Cup?

The 29-year-old, who played at the 2018 of the World Cup, replied: “I mean we’re still waiting, well hopefully we can go to the World Cup, but I feel it’s a tough one.

“It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is like… It’s a great legacy, it’s a great thing to have like in your career, a memorable moment.

“But then at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t been. They would like to say ‘I want to go to the World Cup,’ so I can’t be selfish and say win the AFCON and for my teammates to not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

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PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDOLES WITH SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE OF THE SUPER EAGLES ON THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER

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President Bola Tinubu sends his condolences

to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.

The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.

President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.

“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.

I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.

President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)

 

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EPL: Arsenal’s starting XI against Man Utd unveiled

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Arsenal’s starting XI to face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday evening has been unveiled.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta opted to start Gabriel Jesus ahead of Viktor Gyokeres to lead the Gunners’ attack against the Red Devils.

This comes after Jesus scored a brace against Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.

The Brazilian will be assisted by Bukayo Saka and Leandro on the wings.

In midfield, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard return to join Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal’s starting XI: Raya, Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Hincapie, Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.

Substitutes:  Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres.

The kick-off time for the match is 5.30 pm.

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