The return of Lamine Yamal from injury seemed to transform Barcelona’s game as if by magic.
Although Yamal didn’t find his name on the scoresheet in Barça’s stunning 5-1 win over Real Mallorca, coach Hansi Flick still hailed the young winger as the hero. The coach credited much of the victory to the 17-year-old, who had been sidelined for four weeks.
Barcelona struggled in Yamal’s absence, managing just one point from three La Liga matches, with their performance looking disjointed. But his return changed everything. Flick’s side dismantled Mallorca on their home turf, with Ferran Torres scoring first before Mallorca equalized in the first half. In the second half, Raphinha added two goals, and Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor each scored one.
Yamal didn’t score but showcased his signature flair throughout the game. Flick was full of praise for his teenage star after the match:
“Today, he (Yamal) was very important for us. He always brings something positive to the team. He could’ve scored a couple of goals as well. Overall, he played brilliantly.”
Flick was equally pleased with the team’s overall performance:
“Of course, I’m happy with the team’s performance. In the first half, we created plenty of chances and scored, although they hit back on the counter. Still, we kept playing our game. The way the night turned out, the whole team is happy.”
Notably absent from the match was Robert Lewandowski, who has been in exceptional form this season with 15 goals, making him La Liga’s top scorer so far. Flick explained the decision to rest him:
“Lewandowski needed some rest. We have to manage him carefully. Ferran played very well and scored the opening goal. That’s important for him. He’s always effective when needed. Tonight, there was no need to play Lewandowski.”
Until this game, Lewandowski had started in all 20 matches across competitions this season.
Barcelona now sits at the top of the La Liga table with 37 points from 16 matches, while Real Madrid trails with 33 points from 14 matches.
