Hansi Flick returned to the podium on Saturday after missing last week’s press conference due to suspension, but he spoke to journalists ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Elche and naturally had to answer questions about Lamine Yamal.
The teenager was a big talking point after El Clasico due to his poor performance and the ugly scenes post-match in which he was involved, and the non-stop conversation regarding his ongoing groin issue that has clearly impacted his performances lately.
Flick was also asked about the possibility of changing Yamal’s position after Barça legend Charly Rexach recommended bringing Lamine to the middle, but the German coach does not think a change is needed to help Yamal regain his best form.
“There’s talk about Lamine every week. He’s doing well. I just spoke with him. He experiences some discomfort on certain days. He’s improving and pushing himself. He’s progressing well. We talk to him and we do it normally. We’re both very honest. I’ll always protect him and support him. He’s a fantastic guy, very young. We’ll continue down this path.
“I think the best way for him to get back to his best right now is to return to where he performs best. In some situations, he can play from the center. The most important thing for him is to touch the ball; that’s his strength.”
Yamal and Barça have decided against surgery so his injury will be managed with conservative treatment, and his ability to play in perform will be entirely dependant on his pain tolerance from now on. It’s a tricky moment in the life of a very promising player, and his coach is confident he can deal with it.
