Lamine Yamal has been virtually unstoppable since breaking into Barcelona’s first team. His creativity and dribbling have created numerous goal chances and assists, while also making him the most fouled player on the team, something Hansi Flick has openly complained about.
Flick is a passionate manager who shows more energy than most of his German counterparts. He said a few months ago that he would try to calm down after being sent off against Girona, just before a visit to Real Madrid. In Saturday’s win over Mallorca, he protested again but received only a yellow card.
The manager explained what he told the referee during his post-match press conference: “I don’t think there were reasons to show me a yellow card. I just clarified that the Mallorca players in the wall were too close and that there was a foul on Lamine inside the box.”
Flick’s explanation on substituting Yamal
The season is entering its most demanding phase for clubs with major ambitions. With Barcelona still competing in the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey, managing minutes has become essential, especially for a player as important as Yamal.
Flick gave Yamal some rest in Barcelona’s victory (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
With Atletico Madrid coming up in a Copa del Rey semifinal on Thursday in Madrid, keeping Yamal fresh was a priority. That was the main reason behind his substitution with a little more than 10 minutes remaining.
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Flick reassured concerned fans: “We have to manage his minutes. He’s enjoying himself, but in the first half he wasn’t at his best. He saved energy for the second part, and I can’t blame him.”
Flick on what to improve before the Atletico match
Flick addressed several topics when speaking with the media, including preparations for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against a difficult opponent. His focus was on aspects Barcelona failed to execute early against Mallorca.
Concentration was a key point for the manager: “We are playing many matches. I hope that on Thursday against Atletico we see a different team in the first minutes. I played football and I know how it is. In the first half we didn’t have the right attitude, but in the second we did.”
