There’s little chance that 17-year-old Spanish winger Lamine Yamal will be given a rest against Girona.
Whether for his club or the national team, Yamal has been playing regularly everywhere, which is very demanding for a 17-year-old’s body. Will he get a break against Girona with the busy schedule? According to what Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said, it seems unlikely.
In the last international break, Yamal played 66 minutes for Spain in the UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg against the Netherlands. In the return leg, which went to extra time, he played the full 120 minutes. Just four days later, he played the entire match for Barcelona against Osasuna in La Liga last Thursday.
So far this season, Yamal has played in 39 out of Barcelona’s 44 matches across all competitions, missing the other five due to injury.
On Sunday, Barcelona will face Girona at home in La Liga. Flick hinted at giving a few players some rest in his Saturday press conference. However, when it comes to Yamal’s rest, he left the decision to the player himself.
“Lamine is very smart, and he knows how to handle the schedule. I spoke with him to see how he’s feeling physically, and he’s positive about playing.”
“I always talk to the players; they are responsible for their bodies. If they feel something different, they need to speak up. Players have to take responsibility for their bodies, especially in a club like Barcelona.”
Currently, Barcelona is at the top of the league table with 63 points from 28 matches, while Real Madrid, last season’s champions, is in second place with 60 points from the same number of matches.
