"Does He Know Me Now?" – Lamine Yamal's Dig at Mario Lemina

Barcelona's young star Lamine Yamal made headlines with a dig at Mario Lemina following his impressive performance against Galatasaray. The Spanish player, who starred with two assists as the Catalan giants won 4-1 in Istanbul in the UEFA Champions League, was named man of the match. After the game, the 19-year-old Yamal posted on social media with a pointed response to comments Lemina had made in the past.

The exchange between the two dates back to an interview Mario Lemina gave in August 2025. When the Gabonese midfielder was asked to choose between Lamine Yamal and Leroy Sane, he said he did not know Yamal and opted for his team-mate Sane. Speaking about the matter, which flared up again after Galatasaray were drawn against Barcelona, Lemina had explained that his words were meant as a joke and that he had no intention of disrespecting the young talent.

The two players faced each other for the first time in the match at RAMS Park in the second round of the Champions League. Galatasaray went ahead through Aleksey Batrakov, but Barcelona left with a 4-1 win. Yamal, who played a leading role in the Catalan side's victory, provided the assists for the goals scored by Fermín López and Anthony Gordon. The young star, who impressed with his productivity in attack, was awarded man of the match after the game.

After the match, Yamal shared a photo with his man-of-the-match award on his social media account. Adding the caption "Does he know me now?" to his post, the young player sent a clear message to the yellow-and-red midfielder. Although the two exchanged brief words at times during the match, they shook hands and left the pitch together after the final whistle.