Hansi Flick explains why Lamine Yamal did not start for Barcelona against Athletic Club | OneFootball

FC Barcelona secured a 5-0 win over Athletic Club in the semi-final of the Supercopa de España on Wednesday night in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The entire Catalan team played at a very high level in this game and deservedly advanced to the final of the competition.

With the way the match panned out, it was clear that the Blaugrana team was not missing anyone. However, there was one notable absence from the starting XI for this game, i.e., the winger Lamine Yamal.

Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, Hansi Flick revealed why the Spaniard was unable to play in this match, as he talked to the press after the end of the game. The German coach made it clear that Yamal is not suffering from an injury:

“He hasn’t been feeling well over the last two days. Yesterday, he had some treatment and was feeling better, but he wasn’t able to train in the last two sessions, and that’s why he was on the bench. It’s not because of an injury — it’s a stomach issue, he wasn’t feeling well.”

There was some concern about the player’s situation when he did not participate in the training sessions ahead of the semi-final, and also when he remained absent from the starting eleven.

However, Flick’s comments should reassure Barcelona fans, as Lamine Yamal played the last 20 minutes of the game and looks ready to play in the final on Sunday.