Lamine Yamal Will Get Stronger After Missing Ballon d'Or, Says Hansi Flick

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal will use his second place finish at the Ballon d’Or as motivation for the next season.

Coach Hansi Flick reports that the 18-year-old winger took the news well after losing to the Paris Saint-Germain wingman Ousmane Dembélé on Monday night in Paris.

Flick said, “I spoke with him yesterday, and I think he sees it in the right way, so it’s also motivation for the next years ahead,” adding that he was very proud of how mature his young star handled himself after the disappointment.

“Dembélé, he deserved it also; it’s a vote, and a lot of things can happen, and I think he accepted this in a good way, and he’s motivated to show it this season.

Maybe next season he also will be an option for the Ballon d’Or, but I really appreciate that a lot of players from our team are in this situation, and it’s great for our team.”

Lamine Yamal played a key role in Hansi Flick’s team that won the domestic treble last season.

His top notch performances throughout the season and most importantly in big and crucial matches made him a clear favorite for the Ballon d’Or.

Although he was placed second, winning the Kopa Trophy twice does make him historically special in football.

After the ceremony, the young winger posted a classy message on his social media. He congratulated Dembélé and expressed gratitude to all those who voted for him, showing great character from someone so young dealing with such a big disappointment.

Lamine Yamal Is Still Out Injured

A groin strain will sideline Yamal against Real Oviedo as Barca aim to keep catching up with the current La Liga leaders, Real Madrid, who defeated Levante on Tuesday to go five points clear of Barcelona.

After returning from his national team duty in September, Yamal has been out due to a groin strain.

He worsened the injury during the international break when Spain’s coach left him on the pitch while in pain.

Lamine Yamal gets injured playing for spain

Hansi Flick was very angry and criticized the Spanish national team for how they have handled and treated Yamal, knowing that he was not fit to play.

Last season, Barcelona, despite their fine form struggled to dominate without the youngster in many games, but this season, they have hammered Valencia, Getafe, and Newcastle without him.

This proves that Barcelona can still win games convincingly even without their best player.

“I’m really happy; I never think about which player we are missing. I only focus on the team we have,” stated Flick. “Which players are the options for being in the starting XI… I’m happy with my team. It makes no difference; every starting XI can win matches. It’s not a big problem.”

This method has enabled his coach to develop a strong squad that is not reliant on any one player.

Other young stars filled the void for Yamal when he was absent. This depth provides Barcelona with additional possibilities and ensures that all of its players are forced to compete hard for their spot on the team.

Yamal might return against Real Oviedo on September 25, but the club will avoid rushing him.

Having found a solution for the injury, they wish to ensure he is not pressed back into play before regaining full strength.

Special attention is needed in managing the injury to avoid problems that may prolong his recovery.

Flick Gave Updates On Gavi After Bacelona’s Statement

Gavi underwent knee surgery yesterday, and he is expected to be out for 4-5 months, according to Barcelona’s official statement.

He almost missed more than half of the 2023 season because of this same knee ligament tear injury. This new injury, however, is another huge setback for Gavi, as he was slowly regaining his fitness to get minutes under Flick.

What was meant to be a fairly straightforward five-week procedure spiraled out of control and became five months recovery.

This news was awful for everyone at Barcelona, even Gavi himself.

Flick stated, “We must take care of him; we must go step by step, because he is just 21 and he has a huge career in the next 10 to 15 years here in Barcelona.”

“He’s a player with a big, big heart; he’s a player with a lot of emotion; he’s a player who lives… I wouldn’t say he’d die for this club, but he’s like this, and I’m really happy to have him on my team. Of course, we are waiting until he’s back; it’s not easy for this team because he has a huge quality for us, but every one of us will support him and will help him to reach his level again, and this is our goal now for him.”

He’s one of those players whose ability to inject energy and creativity into Barcelona’s midfield is phenomenal.

He is midfield dynamite when fit due to his unique pressing and passing capability. The long layoff imposes heavy tactical changes on Flick and opens the way for some opportunities for other players.

The time of injury really was bad for Gavi. He had struggled very hard to manage coming back from a previous knee problem, and just when he started getting into his rhythm again, another serious injury came along.

The mental side of this setback will be just as difficult as the physical recovery.

During Gavi’s time out, Barcelona’s medical team will work closely with him. The club has ample rich experience in bringing players back from severe injuries.

They will see to it that he attains the best care and support throughout his recovery period.

Flick spoke with Gavi on how best he needs to take the news of the recovery after seeing the results of the surgery. The coach desired to encourage his player at this moment of hardship.

This proves the close relationship between manager and players in Barcelona. The injury means that Barcelona must also now assess further midfield options.

Talents such as Marc Casadó and Pablo Páez Gavira may now find themselves afforded an opportunity to shine at this level, proving that they really do belong.

Despite all these injury concerns that are keeping key players out, Flick is still optimistic about his team’s ability to play at the highest level again this season.

Now, Barcelona are second in La Liga standings, 5 points behind Real Madrid, and remain positive to close up the gap before Christmas.

The coach acknowledged the mental strength of his squad to take in injuries. Such strength showcases that players have the ability to adapt to their injured teammates.

This will be very instrumental as Barcelona continues to chase more trophies this season. Yamal’s Ballon d’Or disappointment and these injuries are tests of character for the team.

How they respond will show whether they have what it takes to score major prizes this year. Flick believes his players have the right mentality to win these battles.