Barcelona coach Hansi Flick publicly defended teenage sensation Lamine Yamal on Tuesday, pledging to shelter the winger from criticism regarding his recent emotional displays. The 18-year-old drew scrutiny after failing to celebrate a late winner during Saturday’s 2-1 La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid.
Media reports suggested the winger’s muted reaction stemmed from a sideline admonishment by coaching staff after he chose to shoot instead of passing to a teammate. This is not the first time the Spain international has shown visible irritation, having previously displayed frustration when substituted by Flick.
“What we have to see is that Lamine is 18 years old and for me he’s an unbelievable player,” Flick told reporters. “He’s emotional, and this is good. I will always support him.”
Flick acknowledged that such outbursts occasionally create unwanted media attention for the squad. However, the manager maintained that the young star’s development remains the priority.
“Not everything that he’s doing is good, as it creates this noise around our team,” Flick said. “I said to him, no problem, you can do it and I will always protect you.”
Champions League preparations
Barcelona turns its attention Wednesday to the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou. Flick warned that the tie against Diego Simeone’s side will be a rigorous test of his team’s resolve.
“Atleti is a tough team, they have the right attitude, a lot of intensity, fast players, fantastic players on the pitch,” Flick said. “They know how to defend in a deep block, it’s not so easy to score two goals at Atletico.”
Marcus Rashford is expected to start on the left flank to cover for the injured Raphinha. The English forward, currently on loan from Manchester United, earned praise from his manager for his recent adaptation to the squad.
Flick noted that while Rashford’s attacking contributions have been positive, he expects the forward to continue improving his defensive work rate. “To defend is also part of our game and part of football,” Flick added. “He’s doing good, he’s adapted a lot, and we need him to help his teammate on the flank.”
Barcelona enters the match holding a seven-point lead at the top of the La Liga table. The club looks to build on the momentum from last season, where they reached the Champions League semifinals.
