Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has renewed his pledge to win the UEFA Champions League trophy, despite the team's elimination by Atlético Madrid in the quarterfinals. The 18-year-old forward stated on Instagram on Wednesday: "We are Barça, and we will be back where we belong. My parents taught me that a man’s word always has to be fulfilled... we’ll bring it to Barcelona."

Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory in the second leg but exited the competition on aggregate after a 2-0 home defeat in the first match. The Catalan club last won its fifth Champions League title in 2015 with Lionel Messi leading the charge. Yamal reflected: "We gave it our all but it wasn’t good enough. This is just part of the road. To get to the top you have to climb, and we know it won’t be easy, nor will they make it easy for us. But giving up is not an option."

Yamal also maintained a profile picture of LeBron James holding the NBA trophy in 2016, citing him as inspiration for Barcelona's comeback attempt. Club president-elect Joan Laporta condemned the refereeing as "shameful" and "inadmissible," announcing plans to file a formal complaint with UEFA over decisions in both legs, including disputed penalties and red cards.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick emphasized that the youthful squad will learn from this setback. In La Liga, Barcelona holds a nine-point lead over Real Madrid after 31 rounds, with a match against Celta Vigo upcoming. Yamal, who scored in the second leg, had made similar vows after a semifinal loss to Inter Milan in 2025, underscoring his determination to fulfill his promise with the club.

Source: www.aljazeera.com