Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, who was overjoyed at teenage sensation Lamine Yamal's goal against Elche, has stated that the Spaniard's injury problems are not yet over. Although the 18-year-old managed his fourth goal of the campaign, he is yet to rediscover his best form thus far this term.
Yamal gives Barca the start they needed
After the defeat to Real Madrid in the Clasico in October, it was crucial for Flick's battalion to reclaim lost ground against Elche, whom they met a week later. The Catalans got off to a sizzling start as Alejandro Balde assisted Yamal for the latter's fourth goal of the campaign, in as early as the ninth minute. The 18-year-old showed grit, determination, and efficiency in the first half, where Barca led 2-1. He was taken off in the second half, after a dip in form, but the side managed to see the game through after Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford scored the third goal in the 61st minute for the Catalans.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick warns Yamal tto manage his problems
Over the past few days, Yamal has been a talked-about topic for two reasons. Firstly, for his below-par performance against Madrid on Sunday, and secondly, for his separation from his partner. Flick, who has always admired the teenager and bestowed his faith on him, commented after the win over Elche on Yamal's injury status, saying: "He has to manage his injury; he's disciplined. He has to train, undergo treatment… he's doing it. I can't say the injury is over; it comes and goes. And he has to manage it."
Notably, Yamal recorded an 88-minute appearance on Sunday, until he was substituted by Roony Bardghji, and during his stay, he not only contributed to the attack but also won two of his five duels defensively.
Flick makes bold negative remark on Barca
The German coach has claimed that his team lacks quality, after Elche surprised the Barca fans by dominating possession at their home turf. Flick said on the game: "I’ve seen things that we’ve done well, but we also have to improve. We have to fight. Today we had an opponent who wanted the ball and it wasn’t easy. We had to press and we did, that’s why we scored the first two goals and created more chances."
He further opined, “It’s not difficult to have control without Pedri. We can do that too. Pedri is an excellent player and we want him in every game, but without him we have to manage it. We can improve in many things, and we will. It’s three more points and we’ll keep going. It’s not easy, we have many players who have not been able to play in the last few games. We lack quality. The last two training sessions have been very good, one of the best this season. We have to talk about ball possession, we were not quite good in this. The most important thing is the three points. We have taken a step forward and we have to be positive."
Getty Images SportAway games on the trot, no rest for Barca
Barca won't get much rest after the Elche triumph, as they will have to play two fixtures this week. On November 5, they will travel to Belgium to face Club Brugge in the Champions League. After three games in the continental competition, Flick's side have six points in their kitty, winning twice and losing the other game. However, they'll be the favourites against the Belgian side, who sit 20th in the table, 11 steps below the Catalans. Soon after the Champions League clash, Barca will need to shift their focus to the domestic league, where they'll play another away game, this time against Celta Vigo on November 9. They will have a hectic schedule post the break too, where they will play matches in quick succession against Athletic Club, Chelsea, and Alaves, before taking on Atletico Madrid on December 2.