Teenager Lamine Yamal could become the youngest man ever to play in Spain’s El Clasico on Saturday.
Twelve months ago, the 16-year-old striker was turning out for Barcelona Under-19s, but he now has 13 senior appearances under his belt and has Real Madrid firmly in his sights.
Yamal told Barca’s official website: “Everything I do, being so young, is a record almost. People tell me but the most important thing for me is for the team to win and that I enjoy it.”
The youngster warmed up for a potential showdown with Madrid at the Estadi Olimpic by playing the full 90 minutes in Wednesday night’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
He was joined in the starting line-up by 20-year-old midfielder Fermin Lopez, who was playing his football on loan at third-tier Linares last season, but has emerged as a genuine option for boss Xavi since his return.
Lopez scored what proved to be the winning goal in Wednesday night’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Shakhtar, and is hoping for a chance to make his mark against his club’s arch-rivals.
Asked about his rise since last year, he said: “It was unthinkable at that time, but I did learn a lot. Now, I am dreaming about winning a Clasico.
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“We won in pre-season, but this time is a competitive game and it will be a dream to win it.”
Hernandez’s side head into the game sitting in third place in the LaLiga table and unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, a return which head left them just a point adrift of leaders Real.
They have been hit by injuries in recent weeks and although vastly experienced frontman Robert Lewandowski could return after being left out in midweek, Barca still have doubts over Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha, while Pedri is still out.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who won 2-1 at Braga on Tuesday to maintain – like Barca – a perfect start to their Champions League campaign, have been indebted in recent weeks to the form of summer signing Jude Bellingham.
The England international, who is being touted in certain quarters as the best player in the world as a result of his blistering run of form, has scored 11 goals in 12 appearances to help keep his team, whose 3-1 derby defeat at Atletico Madrid last month is their only reverse to date, on the right track.
Bellingham, 20, came off in Portugal with an adductor strain after scoring, but is expected to be fit to take his place in the starting line-up.
He told TVE in Spanish: “I’ll be at the Clasico.”
Asked about the fans hailing his dazzling form with choruses of ‘Hey Jude’, he added: “I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
“On the pitch after I’ve scored a goal or made a tackle or a piece of skill and I start to hear it slowly and then louder and louder, it’s something that I’m really proud of.
“I’m so grateful for the fans for how they’ve treated me coming into the club.
“So far it’s been a good start, but I look to continue to repay them for how they’ve welcomed me.”
Dortmund have flown under the radar to reach Champions League final, says Terzic
Borussia Dortmund have benefited from going under the radar during their "unbelievable road" to the Champions League final, according to head coach Edin Terzic.
The Black and Yellow will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the showpiece on June 1, following a hard-earned 2-0 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain in the last four.
Dortmund came into this season on the back of a bitter Bundesliga title loss on the final matchday of the previous campaign, with a 2-2 draw against Mainz handing the title to Bayern on goal difference.
While Terzic's side have been unable to launch a genuine challenge on the domestic front this term - currently occupying fifth place and 24 points adrift of newly crowned champions Bayer Leverkusen - it has been a different story in Europe.
"There is always a team that no one has on their radar that reaches the quarter-finals or the semi-finals," he said. "We wanted to be the team that were not necessarily on anyone's radar. That road has been unbelievable."
Indeed, it has. Dortmund began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat at PSG and goalless draw at home to Milan, but recovered to top Group F before seeing off PSV and Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
The 1997 Champions League winners then produced a defensive masterclass across both legs of their semi-final with PSG, to reach their first final since 2013.
"After the second matchday, almost no one believed in us any more," said captain Emre Can, who made his 50th Champions League appearance during the second leg at Parc des Princes.
"We only had one point after two matches, but we kept believing and that was the most important thing. Keeping two clean sheets in two matches against PSG is no mean feat."
Mbappe admits 'I didn't do enough' following PSG's Champions League exit
Kylian Mbappe shouldered the blame for Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, which saw them exit the Champions League semi-finals 2-0 on aggregate.
Mbappe, who is set to leave PSG at the end of the season, was unable to inspire the Ligue 1 champions as they fell short in their latest quest to land the European crown.
The France captain registered a game-high three shots on target and 12 touches in the opposition box during the second leg at Parc des Princes, but his tally of just 51 touches overall was the second-lowest recorded by any PSG player.
And the 25-year-old admitted he should have made a more significant contribution towards his team's cause.
"I tried to help my team as best as I could, but I didn't do enough," he said. "I'm the guy who should score goals and be decisive. When things are good, I take all the limelight and when they are not, you have to take the shadow.
"That's not a problem. The first one who should have scored tonight was me. That's life, and we have to move on - me and the team."
PSG enjoyed the lion's share of possession (69.5 per cent) during the second leg and registered four times as many shots as their opponents did (30 to seven), hitting the woodwork four times.
"In decisive Champions League matches, when you're not effective in both boxes, it's difficult to get through to the next round," Mbappe added. "Even more so when we're talking about a final.
"We're certainly disappointed, but it's not all doom and gloom. We need to build on that and keep working, because I'm sure we'll get there."
Luis Enrique 'proud' of PSG despite Champions League semi-final exit
Luis Enrique expressed his pride at the efforts of his Paris Saint-Germain side, despite their Champions League exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
The Ligue 1 champions were knocked out in the semi-finals on Tuesday after a 2-0 aggregate loss to the Bundesliga giants, having hit the woodwork six times over the two legs - making it a record tally of 14 for the campaign - and managed 31 attempts at Parc des Princes.
PSG missed a golden opportunity to reach their second Champions League final, but it is not all doom and gloom after a season of transition with a new coach.
The Ligue 1 title is already in the bag with three matches remaining, and they have a Coupe de France final showdown with Lyon to come later this month.
"We were not inferior over the two legs, but football rewards those who score - not those who hit the woodwork," Luis Enrique said.
"My goal was to be fighting for all the titles. Tonight I'm proud of my team, of all the players."
PSG have now lost all six legs of their three two-legged Champions League semi-finals, after double defeats against Milan in 1995 and Manchester City in 2021.
The year they reached the final, in 2020, they beat RB Leipzig in a one-off semi-final after COVID-19 disrupted the season, before losing out in the final to Bayern Munich.
This season started with a new coach in Luis Enrique and without Lionel Messi and Neymar, as club president Nasser al-Khelaifi put an emphasis on building a team over individual talents.
While not always brilliant, PSG have looked like an organised outfit and the coach said he was already working on building a team without Kylian Mbappe, who is widely expected to leave at the end of the campaign.
"The players and coach gave their all," Al-Khelaifi said. "Congratulations to Dortmund, we deserved better. It's a tough game. I'm proud of my team, the youngest in Europe.
"We've reached the semi-finals three times in five years. That's not our objective; it's still the final. That's soccer; you have to accept it and sometimes it's not fair. We'll accept it."
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