Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has lauded the impact of 17-year-old Lamine Yamal following his brilliant return to action in the club’s 5-1 thrashing of Mallorca on Tuesday. Yamal, who had been sidelined for almost a month with an ankle injury, made a sensational start to the game, showing why his absence had been keenly felt by Barcelona.
The talented teenager had missed three weeks since injuring his ankle during a Champions League match against Red Star on 6 November. He made a brief comeback last Saturday, coming on in the second half of the 2-1 loss to Las Palmas, but it was on Tuesday, in Hansi Flick‘s side’s comfortable win over Mallorca, that he truly showed his class.
“He’s always important,” Hansi Flick said after the game, praising Yamal’s influence on the pitch. “He makes the difference. He could have scored one or two goals. He played very well, he assisted… he has great quality. We need him.” Indeed, it was Yamal who played a key role in Barcelona’s second goal, winning the penalty which Raphinha converted to give Barcelona a 2-1 lead. He then provided an audacious outside-of-the-boot assist for Raphinha’s second goal of the evening.
Hansi Flick was clearly delighted with the return of his prodigious teenager, especially after the team had struggled in his absence. Without Yamal in the starting lineup, Barcelona had recorded one draw and two defeats from three league matches. The team’s once-comfortable nine-point lead over Real Madrid had been reduced to just a single point by the time Yamal returned to action.
After the win, Yamal was equally pleased with his performance and the team’s return to winning ways. “It is a very important victory for the team, we needed to win again,” he told Esport3. “In the Champions League, we were doing very well, but in the league, we were losing very silly points. The victory is very important for everyone, and the goals for those who play less also give them a lot of confidence.”
Fans will also have been relieved to hear that Yamal’s injury concerns are behind him. The record-breaking teen has been remarkably durable for someone so young, and his positive update on his fitness will have pleased Barcelona supporters. “The ankle is fine,” he said confidently, “and I am ready to play as many games as necessary.”
As Hansi Flick continues to rely on his young star, Barcelona will be hoping that Yamal can help them maintain their momentum and push for the top spot in La Liga. With such talent at their disposal, Hansi Flick‘s side will be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season.
