Barcelona's forward line was rotated with the Champions League in mind, yet Lamine Yamal was still a starter against Espanyol. The teenager then dominated the derby with a dazzling display of football.

To put it bluntly, this is a footballing genius at work. The first goal was scored when Ferran Torres headed in a corner, won thanks to an audacious backheel by Lamine Yamal. The second goal, also scored by Torres, resulted from an outside-of-the-boot through-ball. Neither player had to break stride to execute the play.

Yamal scored the third goal himself, beating the goalkeeper to the ball and celebrating before completing the formalities. The fourth and final Barcelona goal was scored by Marcus Rashford, courtesy of yet another pinpoint ball behind the defense by Yamal.

It was a performance that left onlookers breathless. You wanted to share the experience with strangers, and luckily, over 60,000 fans at Camp Nou could attest to it.

This was game number 100 for Lamine Yamal in LaLiga, where he became the first player this season to reach double figures in both goals and assists. For context, Lionel Messi was 20 when he first achieved this feat, while Cristiano Ronaldo was 26. Being this good at such a young age is truly exceptional. Robert Lewandowski recognized Yamal's talent after the first training session when Yamal was just 15.

The rest of the world took notice when he led Spain to victory at Euro 2024, with the final win coming a day after his 17th birthday. Statistics cannot fully capture why Lamine Yamal is so special, but some numbers are too compelling to ignore. Since making his Champions League debut at 16, he has completed 116 dribbles in the competition, far more than any other player.

He also leads in through-balls. A reminder: this is just the beginning of his career. Ousmane Dembele may have beaten him to the Ballon d'Or, but it's not a stretch to say Lamine Yamal is already the world's best.

Who else can claim that as a teenager? Nobody since Pele. An extraordinary figure has emerged, and Barcelona recognizes greatness when they see it.

The number of shirts bearing his name is astonishing, particularly among children. As with pop stars, the next generation wants a hero of their own, and they've found him in Lamine Yamal.

Yamal is easy to identify with, not just because of his otherworldly talent but also his exuberance. When he scores, he dances for the crowd and conducts them. When the ball goes out of play, he waves his arms, urging for louder cheers.

He wears his heart on his sleeve, and that adds to the anticipation whenever he gets the ball. Nobody wants to look away, fearing they might miss something unprecedented. Off the pitch, his unpredictability has caused issues this season. A comment about Real Madrid caused consternation ahead of El Clasico, with teammates accusing him of giving Madrid extra motivation.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick recently said, 'It's not good to make this noise around everything he's doing. I know everyone is looking to him because he's a fantastic player.

But he's only 18.' The issue is that on the pitch, he makes it easy to forget his age. Lewandowski says Yamal plays like he's 25, while Pau Cubarsi, who has known him since they were kids, says he plays like he's 30. It might seem like a casual comment, but it's a key point.

His decision-making is consistently good, making him seem more mature than his years. This blend of emotion and maturity is intriguing.

Many have stopped wondering how good Lamine Yamal will become because he's already there. He's become the leader of this Barcelona team.

When watching him against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final, it was clear he was on a mission to bend the game to his will. He was superb, even in a losing effort. Julian Alvarez was named player of the match, but any scout would have noticed the Barcelona No.

10. Drop an alien into that stadium, and they would have recognized one of their own. Torres once said Yamal seems unaware of pressure, playing like he's in a schoolyard.

But his performance against Atletico was not that of a player oblivious to the stakes. It was impressive, and it spurred him on. As teammate Pedri puts it, 'No matter how the game goes, we know he's going to come into his own.' That's exactly what he did, darting and dancing towards the Atletico defense.

Even in defeat, he created more chances than anyone else on the pitch. He attempted as many dribbles as his teammates combined and more than the entire opposition. His nine successful dribbles were the most by any player in a Champions League game this season. Defeat denied us a potential final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Now, Lamine Yamal and Barcelona have work to do just to reach the last four. While it's early in his career, that should be a frustration.

He needs these games, and these games need him. More silverware with Spain is possible at the World Cup this summer, and Yamal has talked about wanting to win multiple Ballons d'Or.

A Champions League triumph would make achieving that more likely. It needs a remontada to stay in the competition. After seeing him serve up a three-goal win without hitting top gear, do not rule it out.

Flick says Barcelona doesn't need a miracle, and he's right. Not with a genius like Lamine Yamal around.