Atletico Madrid star tasked with marking Yamal hails youngster's quality after Champions League victory

Though their campaign ended, Yamal still managed to make history by scoring the opening goal in their 2-1 victory on the night. 

Yamal's individual effort was not enough to overcome the first-leg deficit. Barcelona ultimately fell 3-2 on aggregate to a resilient Atletico side, as Diego Simeone's team secured their first semi-final appearance since 2017.

However, the strike was his 11th in the Champions League, setting a new competition record for the most goals scored by a player before their 19th birthday.

Atletico left-back Matteo Ruggeri was tasked with marking Yamal during the intense quarter-final second leg on Tuesday. 

Although his team advanced to the semi-finals, the Italian defender was quick to recognise the significant threat posed by the Spanish international.

In a post-match interview with Sky Italia, Ruggeri expressed his admiration for the winger. "Compliments to him, for the player he is, for the quality he has," he stated. 

"We all know the quality he has, the player he is. We've all done well, it wasn't just me, to limit him. That allowed us to press forward and score. I wish him the best for his career.". 

The defender emphasised that Atletico needed to exert their utmost effort to overcome a Barcelona team he still considers one of the best in Europe.

"Barcelona is a team that plays very well, but we have defended well and been able to push forward," Ruggeri said, reflecting on the match. 

"We've left everything on the pitch; we fought until the last minute. We are happy. We need to be very proud to have done what we've done against a very strong team."