Lamine Yamal Faces Continued Criticism Despite Successful Comeback

Barcelona needed this win. On Sunday evening, Hansi Flick’s team aimed to bounce back from their Clasico defeat and secure a victory against Elche. With Real Madrid winning 4-0 against Valencia, they had temporarily extended their lead at the top of La Liga to 8 points. The Catalans could not afford any mistakes and managed a solid 3-1 win.

Several players needed to step up after a lackluster performance in their previous match. Attention was particularly focused on Lamine Yamal, who had a disappointing Clasico, hampered by adductor pain. However, he got off to a strong start in this match, scoring in the 9th minute after capitalizing on a good setup from Baldé. It was a well-taken goal, showcasing impressive control and a powerful shot. But would this be enough to silence the critics? Not quite.

Struggles for Lamine Yamal

Many observers felt Yamal did not have a standout match, despite his goal. According to Mundo Deportivo, “He showed signs of wanting revenge, but his physical condition wasn’t matching that desire. In the second half, he should have recognized that if he couldn’t make an impact, he could have helped the team maintain control of the game.” Commentator Jorge D’Alessandro noted, “I found him slow. He hardly participated and some of his actions could have resulted in him being subbed off. Early in the second half, he lost two consecutive balls, one leading to Mir’s shot that hit the crossbar, which could have leveled the score.”

AS reported that in 88 minutes on the pitch, Yamal managed just 2 successful dribbles, well below his usual standard. “He’s not performing like he did last season. He participated in 41 plays but achieved only 70.8% passing accuracy. Out of five dribbles, only two were successful,” they noted. Meanwhile, Cadena SER questioned Barca’s management of the player, given his physical struggles. Journalist Anton Meana mentioned, “Yamal played 88 minutes against Elche, 90 against Real Madrid, 64 against Girona, and 75 against Olympiakos, even when leading 6-1.” There’s also tension around his usage by the Spanish national team, with Barca feeling they’ve overexerted the young talent. Yamal will get another chance to prove himself in the Champions League against Bruges on Wednesday.