Barcelona coach Hansi Flick labelled Lamine Yamal “a genius” after the forward’s devastating dribbling helped seal a 1-0 win against Alavés in LaLiga on Sunday.
The 17-year-old set up Robert Lewandowski for the only goal of the game as Barça moved within four points of leaders Real Madrid, who lost at Espanyol on Saturday.
The game had started with Yamal going on a run which evoked comparisons with Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona as he ran from his own half, beating a handful of Alavés players before teeing up Raphinha to shoot wide.
“I am not a fan about that,” Flick said in a news conference when asked to discuss the similarities with Messi and Maradona.
“Lamine is a genius. What he did today, in some situations, it’s unbelievable. I am very happy that he is playing for Barça. It’s great.”
In total, Yamal attempted 21 dribbles against Alavés, completing 11 of them, which Opta says is the most attempted by any Barcelona player in a LaLiga game since at least 2005-06, with Messi attempting 20 against Mallorca in April 2007.
“For 17 years old, he’s doing great, and every match is good,” Flick added.
“And the opponents are not so easy to play against. They are strong, defending good, they try to attack him, aggressive, but he’s doing good. I love it.”
Barça had struggled to break down a resolute Alavés side before Lewandowski’s goal, with Flick bringing Frenkie de Jong and Eric García on at half-time in search for more attacking impetus.
He praised the role De Jong, who has struggled with an ankle injury over the last year, played in helping the Blaugrana finally find a way through.
“We said at half-time we need better positions, we have to pass much better, faster,” Flick said. “We bring in Frenkie because his confidence with the ball helps us a lot in midfield.
“He’s long time here and he has huge injury, he came back and now he has the confidence also in his ankle. This is important.
“I think with the ball, he’s really good, it helps a lot and the defence he made it much better than before. We need him also in the defence. He’s doing much better at the moment.”
Barça’s win was slightly tempered by a head injury to Gavi which forced him off early on, with the club providing a statement saying the midfielder “sustained a head injury but remained conscious. His medical tests came back normal and he has been cleared to recover at home. He will continue to be monitored.”
The victory kept Barça within three points of second placed Atlético and moved them within four of leaders Madrid, with Flick saying he hadn’t watched them lose across the Catalan city at Espanyol the day before.
“The last days were stressful and the best thing against stress is to go early to bed,” Flick said. “I had not seen [Madrid lost] until this morning in a WhatsApp group.
“I was sleeping, it’s true, you can ask my wife, and it was a very good [sleep]. This is important because after Atalanta I only had two or three hours and it was much better last night. I was really good this morning.”
