Report: True reason behind Lamine Yamal’s unusual Barcelona behaviour at the start of the season | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal has finally provided the response Barcelona fans were waiting for.

After an unusually subdued start to the 2026/27 season, the teenager scored twice in Barcelona’s 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano, restoring the smile that had been noticeably absent during the opening weeks of the campaign.

The change was striking because Yamal’s frustration had become one of the early talking points around Barcelona.

In the 5-0 victory over Elche on the opening weekend, the winger failed to score and did not produce the kind of decisive display fans have come to expect from him. 

Hence, when Hansi Flick substituted him, Yamal appeared visibly disappointed and was later seen in tears.

His reaction inevitably created speculation about what was happening behind the scenes.

According to The Athletic, though, the explanation was much simpler. Yamal was unhappy because he believed he should have played better.

Yamal’s frustration was about his own performances

The outlet mentions that the young Barcelona star has extremely high expectations of himself.

Those close to Yamal believe he has been dissatisfied with his recent performances and wants to reach a level where he can consistently dominate games for both club and country.

Yamal wants to be the star of his teams and ultimately establish himself as the best player in the world.

It helps explain why a relatively quiet performance can affect him so visibly.

Although he played an important role in Spain’s World Cup triumph, the winger did not produce the individual breakthrough moment many had expected, scoring a solitary goal.

For a player of his competitive mentality, that appears to have contributed to his frustration.

His reaction against Elche was therefore not necessarily evidence of a dressing-room problem or disagreement with Barcelona. 

Lamine Yamal was unhappy because of his own performances. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images)

Rather, it was the response of a teenager who believed he could have done more.

Balde and Ferran rumours were not true

As Yamal’s unusual demeanour continued, other explanations began circulating.

One line of speculation suggested that the winger had been affected by the situation surrounding close friend Alejandro Balde. 

There were also claims that uncertainty around members of his inner circle, including Ferran Torres, who has now completed a move to PSG, had contributed to his mood.

Those reports have been dismissed as baseless.

The idea that Yamal was unhappy because Barcelona handled Balde or Ferran’s departure does not reflect the reason given by people close to the player.

Simply put, his frustration was personal and sporting.