Lamine Yamal has become a beacon of hope for Barcelona’s future, raising concerns about the club’s reliance on him.
On April 29, 2023, 15-year-old Lamine Yamal made his debut for Barcelona after coming up the ranks at La Masia. He hardly took any time to adjust to life at the highest level and has only gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months.
Yamal has already featured in 72 matches for the Catalan giants, and he has contributed towards 34 goals. At just 17, he has become one of the mainstays in the team. At a time where Barcelona are struggling both on and off the pitch, the emergence of this wonderkid has given the fans massive hope.
The teenage sensation has been an x-factor on the pitch, a creative force driving the Blaugrana attack. With 18 goal contributions in his 21 outings this season, Yamal certainly has been one of the most important players for the Spanish giants.
Having a 17-year-old who can take down opposition defenders, glide past them with ease, score as well as create is a massive boost for the Catalan giants who have been on the lookout for their next big star post the Lionel Messi era.
Barcelona’s over-reliance on Lamine Yamal
It seems Barcelona have been over-reliant on the teenager. In his 15 league appearances this season, Barcelona have 11 wins, three defeats and a draw. So far, he has missed three league games and the Catalan giants have not won any of those fixtures. (D1 L2)
Four out of their five league defeats have come in games where Lamine Yamal has not started, and it is surely a concerning number. Since he made his debut back in April 2023 to December 2024, the club boasts a win percentage of 72.5% with him in their starting XI in La Liga.
They averaged 2.31 points per game, but those numbers take a massive hit when he has been rested or injured. Without him, the Catalan giants have averaged 1.44 points per game and a win percentage of just 44.4%.
With Lamine Yamal on the pitch, Barcelona’s attack looks dynamic. They can stretch the opposition’s defence and push them on the back foot. His presence in a way forces them to adopt a more cautious approach.
Struggles without Yamal: A cause for concern
The 4-2 loss to Osasuna was the first league game where Yamal did not start. While he did have a 31-minute cameo, his absence from the start is clear by the fact that they had over 70% of the possession and could only manage six shots on goal.
The 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad was the first league game where the 17-year-old was out injured. Once again they dominated the ball but without a shot on target. He missed the next fixture against Celta Vigo which ended in a 2-2 stalemate. Despite having 60% possession, they only had four shots on target.
While he was back fit towards the end of November, Yamal has picked up yet another ankle injury which will keep him out until the initial phase of 2025. The youngster missed their recent 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid, another game where they dominated the ball but only created a handful of chances and managed only 7 shots on target.
Six to seven shots on target are decent numbers, but for a team that has the majority of the ball in possession, the numbers are usually much higher. Yamal himself averages 1.34 shots on target per game. More importantly, he averages 2.04 key passes every 90 minutes, and his absence is one of the reasons why Barcelona haven’t been at their best in the final third.
Hansi Flick’s system and Yamal’s role
There is no second doubt about the fact that Hansi Flick’s tactics have also played a big part in Barcelona’s downfall. But it seems Lamine Yamal’s absence has also significantly contributed towards it. They were off to a flying start with 11 wins in their first 12 league games while opening up a nine-point lead at the top towards the end of October.
But, things have collapsed in some fashion in La Liga, and it all started when the 17-year-old was unavailable for the first time in the season. The Blaugrana have gone through a rough patch where they have only won two out of their last eight league outings and are now finding themselves third on the points table three points behind Atletico Madrid, having played an extra game.
Flick’s high-intensity pressing football along with an extremely high line is no longer working and with Yamal unavailable for the next few fixtures, Barcelona will have to punch above their weight if they want to stay alive in the title race.
Lamine Yamal has become a beacon of hope for Barcelona’s future, raising concerns about the club’s reliance on him.
On April 29, 2023, 15-year-old Lamine Yamal made his debut for Barcelona after coming up the ranks at La Masia. He hardly took any time to adjust to life at the highest level and has only gone from strength to strength over the last 18 months.
Yamal has already featured in 72 matches for the Catalan giants, and he has contributed towards 34 goals. At just 17, he has become one of the mainstays in the team. At a time where Barcelona are struggling both on and off the pitch, the emergence of this wonderkid has given the fans massive hope.
The teenage sensation has been an x-factor on the pitch, a creative force driving the Blaugrana attack. With 18 goal contributions in his 21 outings this season, Yamal certainly has been one of the most important players for the Spanish giants.
Having a 17-year-old who can take down opposition defenders, glide past them with ease, score as well as create is a massive boost for the Catalan giants who have been on the lookout for their next big star post the Lionel Messi era.
Barcelona’s over-reliance on Lamine Yamal
It seems Barcelona have been over-reliant on the teenager. In his 15 league appearances this season, Barcelona have 11 wins, three defeats and a draw. So far, he has missed three league games and the Catalan giants have not won any of those fixtures. (D1 L2)
Four out of their five league defeats have come in games where Lamine Yamal has not started, and it is surely a concerning number. Since he made his debut back in April 2023 to December 2024, the club boasts a win percentage of 72.5% with him in their starting XI in La Liga.
They averaged 2.31 points per game, but those numbers take a massive hit when he has been rested or injured. Without him, the Catalan giants have averaged 1.44 points per game and a win percentage of just 44.4%.
With Lamine Yamal on the pitch, Barcelona’s attack looks dynamic. They can stretch the opposition’s defence and push them on the back foot. His presence in a way forces them to adopt a more cautious approach.
Struggles without Yamal: A cause for concern
The 4-2 loss to Osasuna was the first league game where Yamal did not start. While he did have a 31-minute cameo, his absence from the start is clear by the fact that they had over 70% of the possession and could only manage six shots on goal.
The 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad was the first league game where the 17-year-old was out injured. Once again they dominated the ball but without a shot on target. He missed the next fixture against Celta Vigo which ended in a 2-2 stalemate. Despite having 60% possession, they only had four shots on target.
While he was back fit towards the end of November, Yamal has picked up yet another ankle injury which will keep him out until the initial phase of 2025. The youngster missed their recent 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid, another game where they dominated the ball but only created a handful of chances and managed only 7 shots on target.
Six to seven shots on target are decent numbers, but for a team that has the majority of the ball in possession, the numbers are usually much higher. Yamal himself averages 1.34 shots on target per game. More importantly, he averages 2.04 key passes every 90 minutes, and his absence is one of the reasons why Barcelona haven’t been at their best in the final third.
Hansi Flick’s system and Yamal’s role
There is no second doubt about the fact that Hansi Flick’s tactics have also played a big part in Barcelona’s downfall. But it seems Lamine Yamal’s absence has also significantly contributed towards it. They were off to a flying start with 11 wins in their first 12 league games while opening up a nine-point lead at the top towards the end of October.
But, things have collapsed in some fashion in La Liga, and it all started when the 17-year-old was unavailable for the first time in the season. The Blaugrana have gone through a rough patch where they have only won two out of their last eight league outings and are now finding themselves third on the points table three points behind Atletico Madrid, having played an extra game.
Flick’s high-intensity pressing football along with an extremely high line is no longer working and with Yamal unavailable for the next few fixtures, Barcelona will have to punch above their weight if they want to stay alive in the title race.