Lamine Yamal suffers defeat with Barcelona against Las Palmas on return from injury

Barcelona’s talent and 2024 Golden Boy Award winner, Lamine Yamal, made his much-anticipated return from injury on Saturday as the Catalan giants hosted Las Palmas in the Spanish La Liga.

However, his comeback was overshadowed by a disappointing 2-1 defeat, marking Barcelona’s first home loss in the league this season.

Yamal, introduced as a second-half substitute, was unable to inspire a turnaround as Las Palmas capitalised on key opportunities. Sandro Ramirez and Fábio Silva found the net for the visitors, either side of a determined equalizer from Raphinha, sealing a memorable victory for the Canary Islands club.

Barcelona’s defeat comes at a critical moment, as the team struggles to regain its early-season dominance under new head coach Hansi Flick.

The Catalans had enjoyed an electrifying start, delivering commanding performances, including triumphs over Real Madrid in La Liga and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. They boasted an impeccable home record, winning their first eight matches across all competitions.

However, recent weeks have exposed cracks in their form. The loss to Las Palmas follows a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad and a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo, leaving Barcelona winless in their last three league outings.

These stumbles have opened the door for rivals Real Madrid, who now have the opportunity to overtake Barcelona in the standings, trailing by just four points with two games in hand.

Despite the setback, Barcelona will be encouraged by Yamal’s return as they look to reignite their campaign.