Hansi Flick heaps praise on Lamine Yamal as Barcelona wonderkid finds his smile ahead of Rayo Vallecano clash

Flick has moved to reassure Barcelona supporters regarding the form and fitness of Yamal, insisting the 19-year-old is on the verge of returning to his absolute best. The teenage winger has faced intense scrutiny following a difficult start to the campaign, which came on the back of a significant hamstring injury suffered in April. Despite a quiet opening fixture against Elche, Yamal showed flashes of his undeniable brilliance during the recent victory over Athletic Bilbao, and his manager believes the trajectory is now firmly pointing upwards as the Blaugrana prepare for their trip to Rayo Vallecano.

Speaking to the media ahead of Monday’s La Liga clash against Rayo Vallecano, the German tactician was quick to dismiss any long-term worries about the teenager’s trajectory. “I know everyone is worried about how is Lamine, how is he doing. And of course, look at his situation, he played a World Cup after a huge injury,” Flick told reporters. “Now he’s coming back after three weeks holiday… and also the first game maybe was not his best game. But I said this, I was very happy that he starts the game and he worked for the team.”