Barça: Hansi Flick defends Lamine Yamal after his substitution against Levante.

Annoyed at leaving the pitch against Levante, FC Barcelona’s young prodigy Lamine Yamal has received support from his coach Hansi Flick, who praises his mentality while urging that his playing time be preserved.

Barça coach Hansi Flick minimised the frustration shown by Lamine Yamal when he was substituted against Levante UD. On Sunday, February 22, Barça reclaimed control of La Liga thanks to a clean 3-0 victory. A match controlled from start to finish, sealed by goals from Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López. A result all the more valuable as Real Madrid were beaten 2-1 on CA Osasuna’s pitch, allowing the Blaugrana to retake the lead in the championship.

The only blot on the picture: Lamine Yamal’s visible frustration, substituted in the 88th minute by Roony Bardghji as the match was already decided. The young winger, shaking his head as he returned to the bench, let his disappointment show. Asked after the match, Flick did not dramatise it. On the contrary. « I love that he’s disappointed. That says a lot about his mentality, the German coach said. « He always wants to score goals, make passes to his teammates and support the team in every possible way. That’s good. That’s exactly what we expect from our players. »

The coach also recalled the need to manage his prodigy’s playing time: “He’s 18. We must take care of him. He plays a lot and today the match stayed under control. It was the right moment to let him rest.” A clear message: the expectations are high, but caution remains in order to safeguard one of Barça’s jewels.