Hansi Flick praises Lamine Yamal’s character, calls his anger a positive sign

Hansi Flick has come to the defence of Lamine Yamal, dismissing suggestions that the teenager is trying to create unnecessary attention and instead describing his emotional reactions as a positive sign of his competitive spirit.

Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atlético Madrid, Flick emphasised the magnitude of the challenge awaiting his side.

“Facing Atletico in the Champions League is different from any other match, because the Champions League is the best competition. We have to play against a great opponent who has great players, but we want to reach the next stage.”

Assessing the opposition, the German coach added, “Atletico are a very difficult team. They have a good mentality, intensity, and great players. In the last match, they rested several players, but others with quality came in. It’s not easy to score two goals against Atletico; it’s always complicated. There will be a lot of emotion in both matches. We will try to achieve a good result tomorrow, knowing that we have to play there. When we beat Newcastle, we deserved it, and we want to continue towards our goal.”

On managing players who are one booking away from suspension, Flick made his stance clear. “I don’t accept any excuses. The only thing to do is focus on what we want to do on the pitch. I don’t want to focus on other things, but on what is in front of us. They also have players at risk of suspension, and the situation is the same for us.”

Looking ahead to the tie, he reiterated his team’s approach.

“We have our style and we must maintain it. We must press and find spaces. The important thing is to be focused from the start for these two matches against Atletico. Everyone wants to play in the Champions League and we have the opportunity to reach the semi-finals and that is our goal.”

Flick reserved special praise for Yamal, highlighting both his talent and mentality.

“I said it on Saturday. Yamal tried everything on the wing, Cancelo had a one-on-one, and Lewandowski scored with his chest. What we need to understand is that Lamine is 18 years old and he’s a fantastic player. When you watch the game again, you’ll see that he does incredible things. He’s only 18. He dribbled past five players and almost scored. He left disappointed, and he’s an emotional player, which is good. I will always support him.

“We have to be careful because not everything he does is for show. He’s a great player, and we have to remember that he’s only 18. I told him he can do it, and I will always protect him. He’s a great player and perhaps he will be the best in the future.”