Lamine Yamal was one of the standouts in FC Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, not only for his performance on the field but also for his frustrated reaction after being subbed off. Following the final whistle, head coach Hansi Flick addressed the 18-year-old’s response during the UEFA Champions League match.
After conceding the opening goal in the 21st minute, Barcelona had to mount a comeback to avoid jeopardizing their Champions League position, and they did so with a second-half brace from Jules Koundé, who scored with headers in the 50th and 53rd minutes. Yamal provided the cross for the winner, and looking to close out the match with fresh legs, Flick replaced the young winger in the 89th minute with Roony Bardghji, a decision that clearly frustrated Yamal.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Flick was asked about Yamal’s reaction and whether it concerned him. “Next time, he will sit on the bench. That’s not a problem for me,” he joked, before getting serious. “No, it’s Lamine, it’s like this. He received a yellow card; there were about five minutes left; we had to make the substitution, so that’s why.“
The German manager went on to show empathy toward the young star: “I completely understand how he feels, because everyone wants to stay on the pitch. He also thinks he can play 90 minutes or 100 minutes. He’s young, and that’s normal.”
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona is challenged by Nathaniel Brown of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Flick concluded by emphasizing that this type of attitude isn’t a concern at all. “I think this is also a good attitude. For me, there is no problem. I understand him completely, because I was a player before. Maybe I didn’t do what Lamine does, but he is another player at a very high level, so I fully accept it. It’s not a problem,” he said.
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A similar moment occurred earlier this season when Yamal showed frustration after being subbed off in the 3-0 loss to Chelsea. Still, even though this reaction came in a match Barcelona was winning, Flick believes these moments are more a reflection of Yamal’s desire to play every minute than a sign of a larger concern.
Yamal set to miss next Champions League game
Despite several matches still to be played on Wednesday, Barcelona moved up to 14th place with 10 points in the Champions League standings after their win over Frankfurt. However, in their push for a top-eight spot to avoid the playoff round, the club will face a major setback with Yamal unavailable.
After being booked in the 56th minute, Yamal will serve a one-match suspension due to yellow-card accumulation. With previous cautions against PSG and Club Brugge, the young winger reached his third of the tournament, ruling him out for Matchday 7 of the UCL, when Barcelona visit Slavia Prague next year on January 21.
