Hansi Flick launches fierce defence of 'emotional' Lamine Yamal after Barcelona wonderkid's latest touchline outburst

The atmosphere surrounding Barcelona’s preparations has been dominated by discussions regarding Yamal’s emotional reaction to being withdrawn in the second half of their weekend win over Atletico Madrid in La Liga. The Spain international has reacted angrily to being substituted on several occasions this season, but Flick remains adamant that such passion is natural for a world-class talent navigating elite football at just 18.

Offering his full backing, Flick stated: “What we have to remember is that Lamine is 18 years old. He’s an incredible player. Sometimes you see what he does, and it’s amazing - especially in one-on-one situations. But he’s only 18. Sometimes he gets upset when I sub him out, maybe because he’s trying to take on four or five defenders and shoot. He might be frustrated. He’s emotional, and that’s okay. We support him. We help him grow. We have to look out for him. I know everyone is watching him because he’s fantastic. But he’s only 18. We all make mistakes. We’ll always protect him. He’ll be the best in the future.”

Flick emphasised the difficulty of breaking down Diego Simeone’s side, highlighting both their structure and mental toughness ahead of the first leg. He also addressed concerns regarding discipline and the physical nature of the game, hinting at specific tactical ideas the team has been working on.

Expanding on Atletico’s strengths and Barcelona's approach, Flick added: "Atletico is a tough team. They have the right attitude, fast players, and are strong on the field. On Saturday, they rested several players and still played well. It’s not easy to score two goals against Atletico. That’s all I can say. It’s always tough. The match will be very exciting. We’ll try to get a good result, but we know we have to play there. We want to reach our goal. We have to focus on our performance and what we do. We have to focus on our own game. That’s what I want to see."

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