Flick Hails Yamal's Impact as Barcelona End Winless Streak

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick praised Lamine Yamal's influential display as the teenager's return from injury inspired a 5-1 win over Mallorca, ending the team's three-match winless streak in La Liga.

Barcelona's commanding 5-1 win at Mallorca was inspired by the return of 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, according to manager Hansi Flick. Yamal's comeback from a four-week ankle injury layoff sparked a much-needed resurgence for the Catalan giants.

During Yamal's absence, Barcelona's form had stuttered, with the team managing only one point from three La Liga matches. This slump allowed Real Madrid and other challengers to close the gap at the top of the table, leaving Barcelona's lead at just one point.

Hansi Flick praised Lamine Yamal's influential display in Barcelona's 5-1 victory over Mallorca, highlighting the teenager's significant impact on the team. “Today, he was very important for us, he always generates positive things for the team,” Flick told Movistar Plus.

Flick was impressed with Yamal's performance, noting that he could have scored multiple goals. “He could have scored one or two goals today, he played very well,Flick said. The manager also expressed satisfaction with the team's overall performance. “Of course, I am happy with the team performance. In the first half, we had a lot of chances and we scored, but they equalised in a counter-attack, but we kept going. The entire team is happy with how things went tonight.”

Barcelona's win over Mallorca didn't rely on star striker Robert Lewandowski, who was given a well-deserved rest after starting 20 consecutive matches. The Polish striker, LaLiga's top scorer with 15 goals, was replaced by Ferran Torres, who capitalized on Mallorca's defensive lapses to score an early goal with a clever strike.

“Lewandowski needed to rest, we had to look after him,” Hansi Flick explained. “And Ferran (Torres) had a very good game and scored the first goal, it's very important for him too. Whenever we need him, he's always there. Today we didn't need to play Lewandowski.”

The victory solidified Barcelona's position at the top of the standings with 37 points, creating a four-point cushion between them and second-placed Real Madrid, who have two games in hand. Atletico Madrid trails in third with 32 points and one game in hand.