How will Barcelona replace Lamine Yamal?

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Hansi Flick needs to make sure his team doesn’t become dependent on the young superstar

The ankle injury to Lamine Yamal should be the only warning that Barcelona needs to avoid overusing their star winger.

At the same time, we can’t ignore that the only two games Barcelona lost this season in La Liga were the ones without the 17-year-old prodigy. For most managers, this would put them in a bind. For Hansi Flick, I expect prudence and respect for the player’s promising career to win the day.

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But it’s also in the self-interest of the coach himself, who needs to make sure his team doesn’t become dependent on any one player.

Lionel Messi was an iron man who was rarely sidelined throughout his Blaugrana tenure. Barça were lucky to profit so handsomely from their ‘Messi dependencia’.

They can’t — and shouldn’t — expect the same of Yamal, or any other young player coming through the academy for that matter. Ansu Fati’s story should be the cautionary tale going forward. Gavi was another scare that the club will hope doesn’t repeat itself.

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Lamine just turned 17 years old, younger than even Messi was when he made his famous debut. He needs to be looked at as the boy he still is. He needs protection.

Let’s hope and assume that Flick and the club will do the right thing in managing his minutes even after he returns to full fitness.

Let’s also acknowledge that Barça are not the same team with Yamal on the field. So how can they best adapt their tactics to keep the results coming in his absence?

Against Real Sociedad, they went with a midfielder in Fermín López playing the role of false right winger. There was some logic to this, especially considering how good Jules Kounde has been this season at getting forward on the overlap and providing service.

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The problem is that neither Fermín, Gavi, Pablo Torre, nor any other midfielder you may be tempted to use in the position, will be able to provide the tactical continuity that has produced the success on the field this season. They are needed where they naturally belong, in the middle, where they can be most useful to the team.

Fermín is a budding star in his own right. Flick will be eager to reproduce the magic he created at the Paris Olympics as the Spanish national team’s 10.

Toni Fernández, just sixteen years old, has been mentioned as a backup, and knowing Flick, he will get his opportunities.

But in my opinion, the simple and most obvious options are the best.

Dani Olmo is a forward first and foremost, and should be the next on the depth chart to play alongside Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. There are plenty of other options who can play behind the striker for the time being.

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After that, I’d love to see more of Pau Víctor. He did everything over the summer to earn playing time, but so far this season he’s been given the short end of the stick. He demonstrated an ability to play as both the number nine and out on the wing with Lewandowski on the field. We know he has an eye for goal, and has shown strong associative play with his teammates.

When Ferran Torres returns from injury it will be tempting to throw him back out on the field, but he should be made to earn his playing time with impact performances as a substitute before making his way back into the starting lineup.

There is no replacing Lamine Yamal. He has been the perfect player for Hansi Flick to make the system go, and he has brought out the best in his teammates.

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A lot of what he does well, however, can be continued tactically.

Barcelona need high intensity pressing and counter pressing, and they need to be as direct as possible in their attack after they win the ball.

Raphinha will keep making those runs over the top, and someone needs to be able to find him.

It doesn’t necessarily need to come from the forward line. The pivots and center-backs have also been very effective with their penetrative passes.

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Lamine has had the courage and audacity to attack aggressively without hesitation.

That’s the lesson his teammates need to learn from him. You can do it too. The talent is there, but the question will be whether they have the character to be seen, and lead the team with the confidence and fighting spirit of their teenage comrade.

Flick will be there to hold them accountable.

This is an army of eleven soldiers strong. Together they can win a few battles when their best weapon needs a rest.

Source: barcablaugranes.com