Flick reveals why Yamal doesn’t want to rest, admits Ansu Fati ‘not in an easy situation’ at Barça
The coach spoke about the two forwards
As Barcelona approach the business end of the season, two young forwards find themselves in completely different ends of the spectrum when it comes to game time: Lamine Yamal plays every single minute of every game, and Ansu Fati can’t play at all.
Yamal’s playing time at the age of 17 is certainly a cause for concern, and fans are screaming for the teenager to get at least one game of rest in the middle of Barça’s crazy upcoming schedule.
Hansi Flick was asked in a press conference on Saturday if that rest could come in Sunday’s La Liga match against Girona, and his answer didn’t seem to indicate Yamal will be on the bench as the coach is apparently leaving the decision up to the player himself.
“Lamine is very intelligent and knows how to manage the game. I spoke with him to find out how he’s feeling, and he’s positive. I always talk to the players, and players have a responsibility for their bodies. If something different happens, they have to speak up. Players have to take responsibility for their bodies, especially at a club like Barça.”
I’m not a big fan of that approach and players sometimes have to be saved from their own stubborn desire to play all the time, but it appears Flick will trust Yamal’s knowledge of his own body and the coaching staff’s date on Lamine’s fitness.
As for Fati, who continues to sit on the bench and not be given any minutes as his future at the club looks more and more bleak, Flick says it’s simply a matter of other players being ahead of the young forward in the depth chart, but admitted it’s not an easy situation for Ansu to be in given his effort in training.
“We need him. What I have to say is that it’s not an easy situation for him, but Pau Víctor and Pablo Torre have also trained fantastically. That’s what I want from the players: for them to give 100% and prove they deserve to play.”
Recent reports suggest Fati still wants to fight for a place in the team and might even be given a new contract, but it’s really hard to see any future for the youngster given his lack of playing time and injury history.
Source: barcablaugranes.com
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