‘Very close to that level’ — Flick balances Yamal praise with caution
FC Barcelona returned to league action with Hansi Flick assessing his squad ahead of the visit of Getafe. The Blaugranes had won every match and sat alone at the top of the table, and the manager’s comments on Lamine Yamal offered a clear view of how highly he regards the young winger. Flick has also spoken about the expectations surrounding Yamal as he continues to develop at Barcelona.
In a press conference before the Getafe fixture, Flick said Yamal could become the best player in the world and suggested he may already be close to that level. MARCA published its account of the remarks on Friday, 9 October, at 13:40 CEST.
Flick’s assessment was emphatic, but he also connected Yamal’s progress to his attitude and continued desire to improve. He described the winger’s performances for Spain as fantastic and said he had watched him in London.
The manager also addressed the demands placed on Yamal. He said that the winger and Pau Cubarsí recover quickly because they are young, while noting that playing 60 or 70 minutes could be appropriate even though Yamal wants to play every minute. Flick’s comments put workload management alongside his praise, rather than treating Yamal’s ambition as a reason to overlook the need for care.
That balance is central to the message: Flick sees Yamal as very close to the sport’s highest individual level, while making further improvement a condition of reaching or maintaining it. Yamal’s own ambitions and future role at the club have also been part of the discussion around his development, as explored in coverage of his place in Barcelona’s plans.
Flick’s press conference also covered immediate squad matters. He said Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong would miss both the Getafe match and the Champions League fixture against Galatasaray; he expected Joan García to start in goal and said Gabriel Jesus was intended to start against Getafe.
The schedule offered little time to pause: Flick said Barcelona had five matches in two weeks and needed to be ready to win. He added that every game mattered, but the team would focus on Getafe first, leaving Yamal’s role in the return to competition as the immediate test of the manager’s assessment.
