Lamine Yamal nearly unstoppable in central role as Barcelona thrash Newcastle 7-2 in Champions League | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal once again showed why he is already one of FC Barcelona’s most decisive players, producing another dazzling display against Newcastle United that left the English side struggling to contain him.

As noted by Xavier Bosch, the key to his latest masterclass was not just his usual threat from the wing, but what happened when he drifted into central areas. On the two occasions he moved away from the touchline and received the ball through the middle, he generated two goals for his team.

That is what made his performance so dangerous. For much of the game, Newcastle tried to crowd him out in typical fashion, with multiple players closing around him whenever he received the ball. But once Lamine started appearing in more central zones, the dynamic changed completely.

The move for Barcelona’s first goal, when his turn near the centre circle caught Newcastle’s defence exposed and launched the counterattack that eventually ended with Raphinha scoring, was a perfect example. He then repeated the trick in the second half.

Lamine again picked up the ball in the attacking midfield zone, drove forward almost at will, and created Barcelona’s fifth goal on a plate for Robert Lewandowski. It was another example of how devastating he becomes when he is given room to attack from the inside rather than being pinned to the flank.

While his performance was not flawless, with one careless backheel in the build-up contributing to Newcastle’s second goal and an open goal missed, the overall display was still a masterclass on one of the biggest stages. His movement into central zones might just be where the future lies for the Spanish teenage maverick.

For Barcelona, that could be a major tactical lesson going forward. Lamine Yamal is already a nightmare for defenders out wide, but against Newcastle, he showed that when he moves into the centre, he can become even more unstoppable.