German coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s manager, confirmed that young star Lamine Yamal is suffering from some pain, but he is gradually improving thanks to his efforts, and stressed that he does not want to talk about the last El Clásico match against Real Madrid.
The Spanish newspaper “AS” reported that Flick spoke at the press conference before Barcelona’s match against Elche in the eleventh round of the Spanish League at the “Lluís Companys” stadium, and touched on the injuries, the return of some players, and the future of young players in the team.
Flick said about facing Elche: “It is a team that I like the way they play. They are performing well as an integrated system. We have to stick to our game plan in order to put pressure on them. I liked the last two training sessions very much, and we have recovered Dani Olmo and Lewandowski, despite losing Pedri.”
On the condition of Lamine Yamal, the coach explained: “Is the talk about Lamine only this week or every week? In fact, he is talked about every week, he is fine, I spoke with him, and sometimes he feels some pain and discomfort, but he is working hard and has improved. His development is going well.”
On Pedri’s absence and its impact on the team, Flick said: “We were surprised when his injury appeared. After the Madrid match, he was only suffering from some fatigue, but the examinations showed that there was an injury. We have to accept the matter. We have lost one of our most important players. He gives us a lot of control over the ball and helps in recovering it as well. We hope he returns soon.”
The German coach spoke about the injuries, saying: “Things go like this sometimes, starting with one or two injuries, and we have to accept reality. We are now in November, and we still have a lot until the end of the season.”
Regarding the possibility of Dani Olmo and Lewandowski participating as starters in the Champions League, Flick said: “Juan García is training well and developing as we want, but there is no need to put pressure on him because things are going positively. As for Lewa and Olmo, we will see tomorrow how long they can play, and then we will decide.”
Regarding how to deal with Lamine Yamal, Flick explained: “We talk to him normally and honestly, and this is what makes things go in the best way. I will continue to protect and help him. He is a wonderful and young boy, and we will continue in this approach with him.”
The coach added about developing the performance of young players, saying: “I usually don’t think about the injured, but it is difficult to manage the team so that the rest reach their best level. With Olmo and Lewa, I saw in training that they are in excellent condition. It is about improving their level and the level of everyone, especially the young players.”
When asked about the young defender Cubarsí, Flick said: “How old is he? Only 18 years old. It is normal that he is not at the level of a 24-year-old player. He has spent nearly two years performing well in 95% of the matches. I am very happy with him, and he is not the only one who has not reached the maximum level yet, so our mission is to help everyone reach the highest possible level.”
When asked about the last El Clásico match, Flick explained: “I don’t want to look back, I didn’t watch it from the best location, and I didn’t like it. I have to learn how to live all the matches from the bench.”
As for the possibility of Lamine Yamal playing in different positions in the future, the coach said: “Currently, the best way to regain his level is to play in his usual position, but in some situations or matches he can play in the center. He is a great player and can adapt in more than one position, and the most important thing for him is to touch the ball, because when he has it, he can create wonderful things.”
Flick also spoke about facing Elche and their goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, saying: “Iñaki Peña is an excellent goalkeeper, but we must present a great match. Facing Elche will not be easy, they play well and present beautiful football. We must show as one unit, and it is important for the fans to see that we are giving everything we have in order to win.”
At the end of the press conference, Flick commented on Lamine Yamal’s statements before El Clásico, saying: “For me, facing Real Madrid has become a thing of the past, and I don’t want to talk about that again.”
Barcelona Talents
The increasing injuries in Barcelona’s ranks this season have complicated the plans of German coach Hansi Flick, who has found himself needing to closely monitor the players of the youth team “Barcelona Atlètic”, in anticipation of the possibility of involving some of them with the first team in the coming weeks.
According to the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”, one of the most prominent players that Flick is closely following is Xavi Espart, 18 years old, who started as a midfielder before moving to the right-back position. The young player has joined the first team’s training for two weeks, a step that may pave the way for his official appearance soon, especially with the shortage that Flick is suffering from in the defense line.
Espart is one of a group of rising talents who have begun to approach the first team, such as: “Goffrey Torrents (18 years old): the left-back who is performing remarkably in the reserve team, Pedro “Dru” Fernandez (17 years old): the midfielder who is balanced between defensive tendency and the ability to build, Toni Fernandez (17 years old): who has already participated in official minutes last and this season, and Guille Fernandez (17 years old): who is currently absent due to injury.”
The two young goalkeepers Diego Kochen (19 years old) and Eder Aier (18 years old) are also participating in the first team’s training, due to the absence of Juan García and Ter Stegen, which allows Flick the opportunity to test the future of goalkeeping in Barcelona early.
