Lamine Yamal was unable to celebrate the La Liga win against Atlético Madrid, raising doubts about the winger.
Published April 7, 2026
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has defended his teenage star Lamine Yamal against criticism for his occasional “emotional outbursts” ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atletico Madrid.
The 18-year-old winger did not celebrate Barça’s 2-1 win over Atlético in La Liga on Saturday, which put them seven points clear of the Catalans at the top of the table.
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Yamal was visibly frustrated, with Spanish media reporting that a member of Barcelona’s coaching staff had warned him to shoot when he could have passed from the sideline.
The Spain international has expressed anger at being replaced by Flick in the past, and the coach said he supported Yamal regardless.
“What we have to see is that Lamine is 18 years old and for me he is an unbelievable player. You will see it when you watch the game again. What he is doing is unbelievable,” Flick told reporters on Tuesday.
“But he was only 18 and would get angry if I substituted him. There was a situation where he dribbled past four or five players and then took a shot and missed.
“Sometimes he’s frustrated that he didn’t score this goal, but he’s like that, he’s emotional. That’s good. I’ll always support him.”
Flick acknowledged that Yamal’s dissatisfaction on the sideline sometimes generates headlines that aren’t ideal for the team.
“He is a great player. On the right (course) we will help him develop,” said the German coach.
“Not everything he does is good because it creates noise around the team. I know everyone is looking at him because he’s a great player, but we also have to look at the fact that he’s 18 years old.”
“Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I told him, okay, you can do it, and I will always protect you. This is what I want him to do: show everyone on the pitch how great he is. Then he will be one of the best players, maybe the best player in the future.”
Yamal shined last season as he helped Barça reach the Champions League semi-finals, making them the closest to winning the trophy since they won it in 2015.
Flick said the quarter-finals against Diego Simeone’s Atlético, which begins with the first leg at Camp Nou on Wednesday, will be difficult to decide.
“Atleti are a tough team. They have the right attitude, a lot of intensity, fast players and great players on the pitch,” Flick said.
“On Saturday they rested a lot of players, but the quality was very high. They love to defend and know how to defend with deep blocks. It’s not so easy to score two goals at Atlético. It’s always difficult. They love to defend.”
“There will be a lot of emotion because this match will be played on two legs. We will do our best to get a good result tomorrow.”
Marcus Rashford is expected to start on the left in place of injured winger Raphinha.
The England international, on loan from Manchester United, scored against Atletico on Saturday.
Flick acknowledged Rashford’s good form, saying his defensive work rate needs to improve, but did not say whether the club wanted to exercise the buy option they have for the forward.
“(Pressing) is part of our game and it’s very important. It’s not just about handling the ball, which everyone knows he’s great at,” Flick said.
“One-on-one[with dribbling]he does very well, but defending is also part of our game, part of football.
“But he is doing well and has adapted quite well. We need him… to help his teammates on the wing.”
