Galatasaray - Barça: Mario Lemina teases Lamine Yamal

Mario Lemina joked about Lamine Yamal ahead of the Champions League clash between Galatasaray and Barça

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Galatasaray - Barça: Mario Lemina teases Lamine Yamal

13.10.26 15:00 Champions League

Galatasaray

Barcelona

Before facing FC Barcelona again, Mario Lemina took a playful swipe at Lamine Yamal, who has nevertheless been dazzling since the start of the season.

FC Barcelona are preparing to return to the Champions League with an eagerly awaited trip to Galatasaray. As the fixture approaches, Mario Lemina chose humor to discuss the main threat in the Catalan attack: Lamine Yamal.

Asked about the young Spanish winger at a press conference, the Gabon international replied with a smile: “Who is Yamal? I don’t know him. I only know Leroy Sané.” The deliberately provocative remark was intended to lighten the mood ahead of a particularly high-profile European encounter.

Sane ou Yamal ? 🗣️ Mario Lemina : Qui est Yamal ? Je connais Sane, je ne connais pas Yamal. https://t.co/uoEUK0xKmU
— Blaugranation (@Blaugranation_) October 12, 2026

Lamine Yamal arrives in top form

Lemina’s joke comes as Yamal is enjoying an impressive start to the season. The Barça player has already recorded 8 goals and 7 assists in 9 appearances in all competitions, confirming his status as a leading player despite his very young age.

His performances for Barça and the Spanish national team have also made him one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d’Or. After his World Cup triumph with La Roja, Yamal has continued to produce decisive performances and remains one of the most closely watched players at the moment.

The Catalan club are also arriving with maximum confidence after a particularly successful start to the season, although Hansi Flick regularly has to cope with several absences.

The last Galatasaray - Barça meeting dates back to 2022

The last meeting between the two clubs took place on March 17, 2022, in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16. After a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou in the first leg, Barça won 2-1 in Istanbul.

Galatasaray opened the scoring through Marcão, before Pedri equalised and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winner for the Catalans. More than four years later, the two sides will meet again in a completely different context, with Lamine Yamal now at the centre of everyone’s attention.