Lamine Yamal is the big doubt in Barcelona 's starting eleven , and will be so until the very last minute, after the alarm that went off at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper when the young Barça star did not go out onto the pitch to train with his teammates in the last session before the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético de Madrid. And Hansi Flick 's fear is real, as he is well aware that the presence of his young talent is essential for the team. Barça's weaknesses this season without Lamine on the pitch have been seen on several occasions. The German coach wants him to play. And the player wants to play tonight. Barcelona cannot live without Lamine.
"We have to wait and see, but I have positive feelings," said Hansi Flick at the press conference ahead of the first leg of the semi-final that Barcelona will play on Tuesday against Atlético de Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic starting at 21:30. But the reality is that Lamine Yamal has not trained in the last two sessions of the Blaugrana team after the stamp he received on his left foot, key in his game, against Las Palmas in his last league match.
Despite this, at this point, everything indicates that Lamine Yamal will start against Atlético de Madrid in Montjuic. A clear example of taking a risk with a player in the first leg of a tie with many important matches still to be played. And Barça knows that it needs Lamine like food to play at its best.
Hansi Flick will have to decide in the next few hours whether Lamine Yamal will start and play the whole match, be a substitute and come on as a substitute in the second half or not play at all. It will be a rather complicated decision, given that the importance of the young Barça player is key to the team. The German coach knows this and that is why his intention is to be positive in order to trust that his star player can play. The first option is the one that has the most weight at this time.
Barça can't live without Lamine
At 17, Lamine Yamal has become an essential asset for Barcelona . A player who already inspires fear in his opponents and who makes opposing defences defend the team differently just by his presence. A unique dribbler who helps the team with infinite resources despite his extreme youth.
But if Lamine is ultimately unable to play, as the stomp was very hard and the player is clearly unable to be 100% fit, Flick 's fear comes to light, because Barcelona 's weaknesses without him come to the fore. In fact, in the previous game of the culé team against Atlético de Madrid in Montjuic, the league match last December, Lamine, injured, saw it from the stands. And the Blaugrana team noticed it. Boy did they notice it. And that match was won by the colchoneros.
A Lamine Yamal who, since missing that game against Atlético , the last of the year, and the cup match in Barbastro, the first of 2025, has played everything. And all as a starter. Twelve consecutive games since the start, eight of them playing more than 80 minutes. And with only two draws and no defeats. The numbers speak for themselves. Few players are essential in this Barça. Lamine is undoubtedly one of them.
