Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has said Lamine Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d’Or after the teenager delivered another standout performance in the Champions League.
Yamal contributed two assists and scored from a direct free kick, taking his total goal contributions in the competition to 21 — 11 goals and 10 assists. That makes him the player with the most goal contributions by a player under 20 in the history of the tournament, surpassing the previous record of 20 set by Kylian Mbappé, now at Real Madrid and formerly of Paris Saint-Germain.
At 19 years and 58 days old, Yamal also became the youngest player to score from a direct free kick for a La Liga club in the Champions League, ahead of previous marks held by Arda Güler and Sergio Agüero.
Flick’s Comments After the Match
Speaking after the game, Flick said: “Of course, he is my player and a Barcelona player. He deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. He proves in every match that he is a special player. No one has what he has, and I think he deserves it.”
Barcelona captain Raphinha also praised his young teammate, explaining that he tried to keep him focused and motivated during the match, and expressing his happiness that Yamal scored the goal he needed.
Barcelona’s Strong Start to the Season
Barcelona continued their impressive start to the campaign, raising their tally to 22 goals in the first five matches. The early form sends a message about their ability to compete strongly for the Champions League title for the first time since 2015.
Flick expressed satisfaction with the sustained pressure his team applies, but stressed the need to keep improving. He said the season is still long and the team trains hard, with all players eager to get better. He added that this strength and sharpness are necessary to carry out the team’s philosophy.