Barcelona manager Hansi Flick admitted that “everyone is worried” about Lamine Yamal, but he didn’t seem to be too overly concerned.
The prodigious teenager had enjoyed an unrelentingly upward rise. After making his senior debut as a 15-year-old, Yamal has gone from strength to strength, earning more minutes, assuming more responsibility and scoring more goals each year. Until last April.
Yamal knew something was wrong before he converted converted a first-half penalty against Celta Vigo at the end of last season, yet the act of rattling in his 24th goal of the season confirmed that his race had been run. As it would soon transpire, the hamstring tear would end Yamal’s club campaign more than a month early.
On the face of it, Barcelona’s wriggling menace has not been the same since.
Spain won this summer’s World Cup with Yamal featuring in each match, yet Barcelona’s talisman managed just one goal throughout the tournament—and that came in a group-stage blowout win over Saudi Arabia.
Those concerns have bled into the start of the new domestic season. Yamal endured a rotten individual display in Barcelona’s 5–0 shellacking of Elche last weekend, trudging off after an hour on the verge of tears. After another outing against Athletic Club which failed to see Yamal deliver a goal or an assist, Flick was quizzed on his supposedly waning star.
Flick Explains Yamal’s Slow Start to the Season
“Everyone is worried about him, but he played in a World Cup after an injury,” Flick said of Yamal before Monday’s clash with Rayo Vallecano. “He’s had three weeks of vacation.”
As the German coach rightly warned, some sluggishness is to be expected.
Yamal effectively used the first rounds of the World Cup as a competitive recovery rehabilitation setting, soft-pedalling his way through the group stage. Once the knockout rounds began, Yamal impressed without reaching the ridiculous expectations set by his own absurd talent. Spain’s system also deliberately diminished the winger’s individualistic streak; one of La Roja’s best ploys was having Yamal act as a fulcrum around which Pedro Porro could pivot, taking advantage of the heightened attention all opponents pay to the Barcelona gem which would thereby leave the onrushing fullback unmarked.
“He’s played two games—the first one maybe wasn’t his best—but I’m happy because he gives us more, creates opportunities...” Flick insisted.
“He’s on the right track. We have to support him, and I’m going to do just that.”
Has Yamal Been That Bad?
If even Flick is willing to admit that Yamal was not up to scratch against Elche, then it’s safe to say that the teenager’s performance was left wanting. However, he was far more involved in the 2–0 cruise at Camp Nou on Thursday night.
“Against Athletic, he played the full 90 minutes; I’ve seen him at his best,” Flick gushed after the game. “Today he was excellent.”
While the likes of Fermín López, Raphinha and even Karim Adeyemi have helped themselves to a hatful of goal contributions after two convincing wins, Yamal’s attacking output has to be seen across his underlying numbers. Across Yamal’s first two fleeting appearances in La Liga this term, he has already either taken or created 15 shots on goal. Not one has gone into the net just yet but it is surely a matter of time.
Everyone may be worried about Yamal, but the only people who should harbor any genuine concerns are those praying upon his downfall.
Lamine Yamal’s La Liga Stats
| Statistic | Yamal Value | League Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Expected Goals | 1.10 | 14th |
| Shots | 9 | 4th |
| Open-Play Expected Assists | 0.89 | 2nd |
| Open-Play Chances Created | 6 | 6th |
| Minutes | 154 | 182nd |
Stats via Opta.
