Lamine Yamal Returning to Top Level, Says Barcelona Coach Hansi Flick
· Sports · Al Jazeera, Sportstar
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has stated that teenage forward Lamine Yamal is finding his way back to his top level ahead of Monday's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano. The 19-year-old struggled in Barca's season opener at Elche following a demanding World Cup campaign and a significant hamstring injury sustained in April. However, Yamal showed improvement during the second match against Athletic Bilbao, where he played the full 90 minutes after stepping up his performance in the second half. Flick noted that while the winger's progress was not fully visible in training sessions, he has witnessed him operating at an elite level. Barcelona won both of their opening fixtures with Raphinha playing as a makeshift number nine after the club missed out on top target Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.
Why it matters
Lamine Yamal's return to peak form is crucial for Barcelona's La Liga title defense and attacking depth as the team navigates early-season fixtures without a marquee traditional striker.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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