Yamal closes in on Mbappe mark ahead of Barcelona’s Aston Villa match

Lamine Yamal is one goal away from moving clear of Kylian Mbappe as the leading scorer in Champions League history before reaching the age of 20.

The Barcelona forward drew level with the France striker on 13 goals in the competition before their 20th birthdays when he scored against Paris Saint-Germain last week.

Yamal will have the chance to take sole possession of the record when Barcelona face Aston Villa in their next Champions League match. His opportunity will extend beyond that fixture because he will not turn 20 until 17 July 2027, giving him the rest of the season to add to his total.

Spanish newspaper Marca highlighted the developing battle with the headline: “Lamine wants to steal it from Mbappe.”

The Norway striker Erling Haaland is next on the list with 10 Champions League goals before turning 20. Jude Bellingham, Patrick Kluivert, Karim Benzema and Raul Gonzalez each scored six at that age.

The latest contest between Yamal and Mbappe follows another recent battle involving the two players. They were both in contention for the Ballon d’Or in the past few days, although the award was eventually won by Harry Kane.

Their rivalry has now shifted back to the Champions League, with Yamal attempting to surpass a record associated with one of Mbappe’s major achievements as a young player.

Yamal heads into Barcelona’s next European fixture after an outstanding display in their 6-1 victory over Alaves. He scored twice and created a goal for team-mate Fermin, contributing directly to three of the six goals.

It was the fifth time this season that Yamal had been involved in three goals in a single match, despite the campaign being less than three months old.

According to figures published by Marca, the 12 goals and 11 assists he has recorded this season underline his exceptional form. His next Champions League goal would end his tie with Mbappe and give him outright ownership of the competition’s all-time scoring record for players aged under 20.