18-year-old says he “wasn’t happy” earlier in the season but is “smiling now”
Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal is “feeling great” after scoring the first hat-trick of his career against Villareal on Saturday.
The youngster scored two remarkable goals in the first half and found the net again after the hour to give Barcelona a 3-1 lead over the Yellow Submarine, before Robert Lewandowski added gloss to the victory with another goal in stoppage time.
“I didn’t feel great [earlier this season],” Yamal said. “There was the [groin] problem and, generally, I wasn’t happy. It was a mix of many things. You could tell.
“I have felt a lot better for a week or so now. I am smiling when I am playing, which wasn’t the case for a while, and I am happy on the pitch.”
Yamal has scored 18 goals and delivered 14 assists in 34 appearances so far this season for Barcelona. It is not far behind the 18 goals and 25 assists he produced in 55 appearances last season.
Overall, the La Masia graduate has now scored 43 goals and delivered 48 assists for Barcelona.
“I’m scoring more goals all the time,” said Yamal. “At 16 people already want you to score 100 goals already and it’s difficult. I want to score more as well, but it’s not always possible.”
Manager Hansi Flick said that opponents tend to put two or three players on Yamal and that it tends to affect his play.
“You could feel he had not the confidence at times, the dynamic for this one against one situation,” Flick said. “I am happy for today, it has to give him confidence, and when he enjoys playing, it’s perfect for him and also for us.
“I think everyone saw his performance today. The first [goal] he needed to come into the game and what happens after that was exceptional. Lamine on this level is fantastic for us.”
