Bukayo Saka says that Lamine Yamal's exploits are “not normal” for a 17-year-old, although he says he will not compare himself with the Barcelona winger.
Yamal stole the show in Wednesday's 3-3 draw with Inter in their Champions League semi-final first stage, and Arsenal was able to meet Barcelona in the final if they can destroy a 1-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Spain equalized with a brilliant individual skill against Inter and the youngest score ever in the last four of the top club competition of UEFA.
Those dominant performance in Europe marked Yamal's 100th performance for Barcelona in all matches, where only Jules Kounde (107) and Robert Lewandowski (104) played more matches for the club since his debut in April 2023.
“He is great. Do what he does at his age, what can you say, it's unreal,” Saka told Sky Sports. “It's not normal. Nobody does it. I don't think I saw that level of 17-year-olds, so the honor of him.”
Yamal is also only the second teenager who scores in the last 16, quarterfinals and semi-final within a single Champions League campaign, after Kylian Mbappe for Monaco in 2016-17.
17 – Op 17 years and 291 days, Lamine Yamal is the youngest player who scores in an @championsLeague Semi -Final, who exceeds Kylian Mbappé in 2017 (18 years and 140 days).
Leader. pic.twitter.com/tor97cxbx3
– Optajose (@Optajose) April 30, 2025
The record-breaking performance of the Barcelona wing player came after Ousmane Dembele scored the only goal to see PSG beyond Arsenal in the Emirates Stadium in their semi-final first stage.
Among players in the Big Five European Leagues, only Robert Lewandowski (40), Harry Kane (36) and Mbappe (34) have scored more goals in all competitions this season than Dembele's 33.
Saka, however, refused to compare one of these.
“There are quite a few top wings, and they are all different with different games,” he added. “I respect them all. These guys are top players and I don't have a bad word to say about them.
“If they don't play against me, I would like to see them play.
“I don't like to put myself in this kind of conversations, everyone has their own opinion, people will place me there or below. It is not in my interest to argue with them. I just play my own games and leave it to people to have their own opinions.”
The last time we organized the cherries …
Saka, Trossard and Rice helped us to all three points in N5 pic.twitter.com/7wipxdk35m
– Arsenal (@ARSENAL) 3 May 2025
Arsenal is from the Premier League title race after Liverpool was crowned as champion with the 5-1 thrashing van Tottenham last Sunday.
The side host of Mikel Arteta Bournemouth on Saturday, with the aim of expanding their three -point lead above third place Manchester City, before Wednesday's visit to PSG for the second stage.
“You can't judge the season until it's ready,” Saka added. “We are disappointed that the competition went to Liverpool and we know where we have slipped.
“The season is not over; [we have a] Solid competition next week and the possibility to be in the Champions League final.
“However, we can't think of that yet. We have to think about the semi -final to get there, Bournemouth first and then to Paris next week to turn it around.”
That is the primary care of Saka, despite his own ambitions of claiming the Ballon d'Or, together with people such as Dembele, Mohamed Salah and Yamal of his right -wing challengers.
“Of course it's a dream,” he said. “I think it's the dreams of many players. But as I said, the only thing you can concentrate on is to win here [at Arsenal]. Everything else will come afterwards. “