Lamine Yamal was one of the players who scored in Barcelona's 4-0 win over Dortmund in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Not only contributing with 1 goal, the 17-year-old striker also left a very impressive performance, making fans immersed in a real football party.
For Lamine Yamal, football is a true game. He is not compared to Lionel Messi, that is the image Ronaldinho left at Blaugrana with the style of an artist.
In the final minutes of the match, Yamal left the field to make way for Ansu Fati. Many people think that it was a beautiful action of Flick when giving Fati the opportunity to gradually find himself. However, others are worried about whether Yamal will leave the pitch due to injury.
Although there are many options for Lamine Yamal to rest, intertwined with a tight schedule, Hansi Flick still cannot help but use this young talent in important matches. According to Opta, Yamal has made the most appearances in the Champions League 20. under the age of 18. The players who have played the most matches before at this age have all played less than 10 matches: Youri Tielemans, Jude Bellingham, Warren Zaire-Emery, Pau Cubarsi and Geovany Quenda.
This season, Yamal has played 3,534 minutes in 43 matches for Barcelona in 4 competitions. He has scored 14 goals (4 in the Champions League) and had 21 assists (4 in the Champions League). This season, Barca's decline in form came at a time when Yamal had to retire due to injury. The Spanish striker will be out for ankle pain in two stages, from 7 - 29/11/2024 and from 16/12/2024 - 05/1/2025.
Lamine Yamal's excellence cannot be determined through statistics. In terms of goals, he is behind his two seniors, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. However, almost every Barca attack had to go through Yamal to light the fire. Without this young man, Flick's team has lost one leg while accelerating.
"Lamine Yamal is fine. I felt he had played enough and it was good to have a good break. Anyway, Fati will have a chance to play because he deserves it" - Flick shared after the match.
At first in charge, Flick had seen Yamal seem dissatisfied many times when he was substituted. At an age of being energetic and wanting to express himself, controlling such a talent is very difficult. However, Barca fans can gradually rest assured because now, Yamal is happy to be substituted. He understands that Flick is trying to protect himself to focus all his energy on the decisive matches at the end of the season.
With a talent who still has a lot to develop in the future, if he is too excited, Flick can push Yamal and Barca into the crisis period right when they are about to get a treble.
