The youngster was in a sour mood and did not join his teammates’ celebration, but Flick has ruled out dressing room tensions
Hansi Flick said backed Lamine Yamal after the winger faced criticism for his reaction after Barcelona’s win over Atletico Madrid.
Yamal appeared upset at full-time and did not join his teammates to celebrate Robert Lewandowski’s late winner that secured three points for Barcelona and moved them seven clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Flick said his reaction was due to frustration for failing to score and not sign of any dressing room tension.
“He was a little bit angry,” Flick said. “He gave everything, he tried to score goals and give the last pass. It’s normal. Of course he has emotion. This was the game, with emotion, but he’s in the dressing room and everything is good.
“It was not because of how he played, he played good,” Flick added. “[Just] some situations, he tried everything, tried everything, but at the moment he does not have this fortune that he scores the goals, but it can come back.
“I don’t know exactly [why he was angry], but [there was] a lot of emotion in the game and Lamine tried everything to score the second goal.
“We have three days now to prepare for the next match. It’s a very important one in the Champions League and he will be in a better mood than after the game.”
Yamal was at the heart of some of Barcelona’s best play but could not provide a decisive moment when his team badly needed it. After Giuliano Simeone’s opener for Atletico, Marcus Rashford pulled Barcelona level when he exchanged passes with Dani Olmo and then put the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs.
Yamal drew a rough foul from Nico Gonzalez that led to the Atletico player’s send off, but then he was unable to score or provide an assist as the clock ticked down. The winner came thanks to Joao Cancelo’s fierce strike from an acute angle, which was parried by the goalkeeper, before Lewandowski improvised to score with his chest.
The result strengthens Barcelona’s position in the title race with eight games remaining and it is difficult to see how Madrid can get back from it. But Flick will not let his side relax.
Barcelona’s manager said: “Everyone knows they were big points today. This matchday was very important for us, but everyone knows it is not done. We’re happy, but we didn’t celebrate.”
