90min

Hansi Flick provides update on Lamine Yamal injury scare

  • Lamine Yamal scored during Barcelona's win over Borussia Dortmund
  • The teenage star asked to be substituted in the closing stages
  • Coach Hansi Flick has revealed the latest on Yamal's recovery

By Grey Whitebloom

There are fitness concerns surrounding Lamine Yamal
There are fitness concerns surrounding Lamine Yamal / Judit Cartiel/GettyImages
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Hansi Flick revealed that Lamine Yamal asked to be substituted during Barcelona's Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund but played down concerns over any serious fitness issues.

Yamal lasted 86 minutes and toe-poked the final goal of a 4-0 thumping for the Catalan hosts on Wednesday evening before signalling to the bench.

Flick was already without attacking midfielder Dani Olmo, who is struggling with an adductor injury, and can scarcely afford to go into any match without the immensely influential Yamal.

However, the beaming Barcelona boss allayed concerns surrounding the teenager's fitness by describing Yamal as "fine". "He had played too many minutes," Flick explained.

Barcelona's prodigious youngster has featured in 43 of the club's 48 matches across all competitions this term. While that figure doesn't come close to the 101 consecutive appearances Jules Kounde has made for club and country - it represents an incredible amount of football for a 17-year-old.

Ansu Fati, Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal was replaced by Ansu Fati on Wednesday night / David Ramos/GettyImages

No other player under the age of 18 can come close to Yamal's tally of minutes of played for club and country this season.

The removal of Yamal offered Ansu Fati a rare opportunity to stretch his legs. Much unlike his teammate, the club's former prodigy has been limited to just 191 minutes this season. While it took an injury to Barcelona's star winger, Flick was at pains to stress that Fati deserved his cameo appearance in midweek.

Yamal is unlikely to earn much more respite in the coming weeks. The teen phenom has only been overlooked when sidelined through injury and the season is approaching a thrilling climax for the treble-chasing outfit.

Barcelona are up against Leganes in the league on Saturday as they try to keep Real Madrid at bay in the top-flight title race before the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final next Tuesday. There is also the small matter of a Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid before the end of April.

As Flick told his young gem earlier this season: "Champions don't rest."

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