Lamine Yamal had the perfect answer for Mario Lemina. Barcelona's teenage star set up two goals in the space of three minutes with a pair of creative touches, driving the Catalans to a 4-1 win over Galatasaray on Tuesday in the second round of the Champions League.
An old remark from the Gabonese midfielder had given the fixture its edge. Back in August 2025, asked about the Spanish star, Lemina sparked widespread controversy with his reply: "Who is Lamine Yamal? I don't know him, I know Leroy Sane." Those words came roaring back into focus ahead of the European tie between Barcelona and Galatasaray
More than a year had passed, yet the approach of the fixture sent the quote racing round the media and social platforms once again. Barcelona fans took it as a slight on their team's talent. Whether the Galatasaray man had been joking or deliberately winding up the Catalan support was never clear.
Pre-match chatter was only the half of it. Lemina and Yamal clashed in the opening stages, the pair squaring up in a mild altercation before the referee stepped in quickly to calm things down.
That flashpoint cranked the temperature up further, landing just as Lemina's words were doing the rounds again. All eyes turned to Yamal and whether he could answer on the pitch.
He answered with his football. Yamal produced a string of outstanding technical moments and laid on two goals in the opening three minutes of the second half, powering Barcelona to a comprehensive win on Turkish soil. Once again, his skills and attacking vision made the difference.
The aftermath ran beyond Yamal's response, too. Lemina became the target of mockery from football fans on social media after the final whistle, not least because the Gabonese came off just five minutes after Barcelona's third goal.