Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is under immense pressure as Hansi Flick’s Barcelona aims to dethrone a formidable Real Madrid side in the upcoming season. The German coach has taken over from club legend Xavi Hernandez and welcomed new signing Dani Olmo last week. However, last season’s La Liga champions, Madrid, bolstered their squad by acquiring superstar French striker Kylian Mbappe earlier this summer.
Mbappe joins Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and other star players, making Barcelona the clear underdogs against Los Blancos. The Catalan giants had a disappointing campaign last season, failing to win any trophies and relinquishing their Spanish title, but the rise of 17-year-old Yamal offers hope for the future.
Alongside Olympic gold medal-winning center-back Pau Cubarsi, financially-strapped Barcelona will lean on their young talents to compete with Carlo Ancelotti’s Champions League winners. Many believe the club needs a left winger and a deep-lying midfielder to position themselves for success, but their economic struggles make these aspirations unlikely after Olmo’s signing.
Flick’s team managed to defeat Madrid during their pre-season tour in the United States, but they faced a stark reality on Monday when Monaco handed them a 3-0 defeat in the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy curtain-raiser at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium.
“We didn’t play with our usual speed or combinations and lost too many balls,” Flick commented after the disappointing loss. “But ultimately, it is pre-season. I know the team can perform much better than today. We have five more days to prepare for the next match against Valencia, our La Liga opener.”
The German coach hopes to revamp the club’s pressing game, but with pivotal striker Robert Lewandowski nearing 36, there are concerns about his ability to do so. Compounding Flick’s challenges are injuries to midfielders Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong, as well as center-back Ronald Araujo, leaving him with a depleted squad as the season begins.
Barcelona is set to return to their renovated Camp Nou stadium midway through the season, provided construction progresses as scheduled, which will be a welcome boost for disheartened fans.
While a club of Barcelona’s stature always strives for silverware, expectations appear to be lower than usual in Catalonia. The era of formidable stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar is behind them. Instead, it was young talent Yamal who captured the fans’ attention during the match against Monaco, with the loudest cheer of the night reserved for the moment the winger jogged down the touchline to warm up.
Yamal, who made his debut for Barcelona at just 15 years old, played a crucial role in Spain’s Euro 2024 victory this season and has adapted to elite football with remarkable ease. No challenge has seemed too great for the Barcelona academy prodigy, prompting inevitable comparisons to Messi.
With Sergi Roberto departing after 14 years with the first team, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been named the new Barcelona captain.
“I hope the fans stay with us throughout the year because many good things lie ahead,” the goalkeeper said after the defeat to Monaco. “Let’s hope that was just an accident… it’s a good wake-up call, and we expect to improve in a few days.”
If Barcelona hopes to compete with Madrid this season, significant improvement will be essential.
