Lamine Yamal is gearing up for the contest of his life against Real Madrid. This Clasico carries special significance for the young Barcelona star, who wants to lead his side to a heavy blow against their old rivals and close the gap in his first appearance against the Royal club at the Camp Nou, according to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".
Nothing motivates Yamal more than facing Real Madrid. He made that clear in an interview with Jorge Valdano, where he spoke of his excitement for the fixture. He also wants to cement his place among the world's biggest stars, with the Ballon d'Or winner set to be announced in London.
But the road to glory runs through a difficult test first. Real Madrid lead Barcelona by six points, and the match will be Yamal's first against Jose Mourinho, a coach famous for the tactical methods he uses to smother opposition stars.
The encounter means even more to the Spanish winger. He missed Barcelona's La Liga title celebrations last May after injuring the hamstring of his left knee against Celta Vigo.
Absent from the pitch, he lived the coronation from the stands. He celebrated Ferran Torres' goal, savoured Marcus Rashford's superb free-kick, then watched his team-mates lift the trophy.
That was a third La Liga crown at the age of eighteen, having played a leading role in Barcelona's dominance over Real Madrid throughout the season. For one so young, the record of achievements and titles keeps growing.
Alongside the two league titles sit the Copa del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups, a European title and a World Cup. It is a rapidly rising career that has made him one of the leading figures at a Barcelona side who imposed themselves on Real Madrid, against all the expectations that greeted Hansi Flick's arrival at the Royal club.
At Clasico level, Yamal boasts five wins against four defeats, with three goals and two assists. The 2025 Copa del Rey final ranks among his finest moments against Real Madrid, part of a run that saw Barcelona come out on top in three of four meetings.
Frustration has not spared him. He played just 24 minutes in the 2024 Spanish Super Cup final and was denied his first goal at the Santiago Bernabeu when his strike was ruled out. Then he hit back in style the following October, leading Barcelona to a crushing 4-0 win with a wonderful goal that drew racist reactions from the stands.
Since that night, Yamal has gone on writing new chapters in his duel with Real Madrid. Then came Barcelona's defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu a year ago, after his controversial remarks about the opponent sparked a wave of criticism when he said: "They steal, they complain".
The young star now seems keener to let the pitch do the talking. He skipped Barcelona's media day in front of the broadcasters, preferring to focus on preparing for the big occasion.
A fresh chance awaits Yamal to prove he can lead Barcelona in the biggest fixtures. Not only to close the gap on Real Madrid, but to boost his bid for individual honours and turn the Clasico night at the Camp Nou into a new landmark in a remarkable career.