In the 96th minute of the match against Atalanta, when the score was already settled, Lamine Yamal was substituted. What seemed like a routine change turned into a disappointment for him. Number 19 appeared on the fourth official's board, and Yamal didn't hide his sadness as he left the field at his best moment.
Yamal's gesture of frustration as he exited through the backline didn't go unnoticed. The player, who had been the standout of the night, was disappointed not to be able to stay on the field and close the match with a victory.
Upon reaching the bench, Hansi Flick approached, put his hand on his shoulder, and offered words recognizing his good performance. "We all want to play. He told me I had played a great match and now we had to think about LaLiga," the young player explained after the match.
Raphinha's reaction and support for the change
After the match, Raphinha, Yamal's teammate at Barcelona, showed his support for the young player and backed Flick's decision. In statements to the press, Raphinha said: "We have to think about the team. It's not always easy to accept these decisions, but the coach has a long-term vision, and that's what really matters."
Lamine Yamal's analysis of the match
Despite the disappointment of not being able to close the victory with Barcelona, Yamal was satisfied with his performance. The young player was chosen as the MVP of the match and highlighted that, although his team didn't achieve the win, they always maintained a winning mentality.
"We wanted to win, like in every match, but it couldn't be. It's okay," he commented with maturity, despite his young age.
With the draw against Atalanta, Barcelona reached second place, a positive result though not desired.
"Barça is always the favorite, it's the best club in Europe for me. I'm happy with second place, we have to keep moving forward," Yamal added, showing his commitment to the team and his ambition to keep progressing. Liverpool's defeat in Eindhoven opened the door to direct qualification, although Barça knows there's still a long way to go.