Flick: Yamal recovering well, occasionally in pain
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Lamine Yamal is recovering well from an ongoing groin issue but still has days where he feels pain.
Yamal, 18, missed seven games for club and country earlier this season due to a problem with his pubalgia, but returned to feature in Barça’s last three matches.
However, he has struggled to hit the heights he hit last season and was nullified last weekend as Barça were beaten 2-1 by LaLiga leaders Real Madrid, raising questions about his fitness.
“Lamine is good,” Flick insisted in a news conference ahead of Sunday’s visit from Elche.
“I just spoke with him. He’s doing good. Of course he has some days where he maybe feels some pain, but he really works hard; he improves a lot about these things.
“I think he’s on a good evolution, so this is what we can say.”
In attempt to spark Yamal into life against Madrid, he was moved centrally late in the game, but Flick said the best way for him to re-find top form is by playing on the right wing.
“At the moment, best way to come back to the best level is to play in the position you normally play, where you have strengths and can give your best for the team,” he added.
“Of course, in some situations, matches, it is also good when not only playing outside, but also inside in the half space. He’s able to manage everything. He is a a great, fatalistic football player and can also play different positions.
“For him, the most important thing is that he touches the ball. This is his strength. When he has the ball, he can create good things for us. This is what we want to see.”
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Barça’s reliance on Yamal has increased due to injuries elsewhere, with Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo and Raphinha among those to miss last week’s Clásico loss, which saw the Blaugrana slip five points behind Madrid.
Marc-André ter Stegen, Joan García, Andreas Christensen, Gavi and Pedri are all also currently sidelined, but Flick said there is “good news” with Lewandowski and Olmo both in contention to feature against Elche at the Olympic Stadium this weekend.
“With Lewy and Dani, we have to see [on Sunday] how long they can play, how they adapt and then we will decide about the next games at Club Brugge and Celta Vigo,” Flick added.
“When you don’t have every player able to play, it’s not easy to manage everything or to get the other [players] on their best level.
“What I can see now, with Lewy and Dani back, the last two trainings were very good. It’s not only that they increase their level or the quality, it’s that the others do as well, also the young players.”
