{"id":2980,"date":"2026-04-13T01:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T01:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/2980\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T01:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T01:34:12","slug":"lamine-yamal-channels-lebron-james-as-fc-barcelona-prepares-for-atletico-madrid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/2980\/","title":{"rendered":"Lamine Yamal channels LeBron James as FC Barcelona prepares for Atletico Madrid"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the quiet hours of Sunday morning, while most of Spain was asleep, FC Barcelona<\/a> superstar Lamine Yamal<\/a> made a statement without saying a word.<\/p>\n

Instead, the 18-year-old changed his profile picture on Instagram, and that\u2019s all it took to send shockwaves through the soccer world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The new profile photo was of Lakers<\/a> star LeBron James.<\/a> The photo was of James in the summer of 2016, gripping the Larry O\u2019Brien Trophy after leading the Cavaliers to one of the most memorable comebacks in NBA Finals history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8 \ud835\udddd\ud835\udde8\ud835\udde6\ud835\udde7 \ud835\udddc\ud835\udde1: Lamine Yamal has changed his Instagram profile picture to LeBron James holding the NBA trophy after pulling off a historical comeback in 2016. \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/ocNIcXn966<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The Touchline | \ud835\udc13 (@TouchlineX) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Yamal\u2019s decision to change his profile photo wasn\u2019t random. It was meant to be inspirational.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Days earlier, FC Barcelona was humbled at home by Atletico Madrid 2-0<\/a> in the first leg of its UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match at Camp Nou.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"LamineLamine Yamal of FC Barcelona reacts after a UEFA Champions League loss in a quarterfinal match. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Now, the odds are stacked against them as they have to travel to the Metropolitano in Madrid inside hostile territory facing a two-goal deficit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Yamal is reaching back to James and history for inspiration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And not just any history. The 2016 NBA Finals. Cleveland down 3-1 against a 73-win juggernaut led by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. On the road at the then-Oracle Arena, in hostile territory.\u00a0<\/p>\n

James and his Cavaliers teammates rewrote the limits on what a comeback could look like at the highest level. Remember his chase-down block on Andre Iguodala? Or Kyrie Irving\u2019s 3-pointer over Curry that stunned an entire arena?<\/p>\n

\"LeBron Bay Area News Group\/TNS\/ABACA<\/p>\n

Yamal knows his sports history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t over yet, culers,\u201d he wrote in Spanish on his Instagram after the first-leg loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal matchup between the two Spanish giants is scheduled for Tuesday, with kickoff scheduled for noon.<\/p>\n

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