The new Messi? Lamine Yamal needs help for Barcelona to reclaim LaLiga

19 G/A this season 

©IMAGO

Lamine Yamal cut a disconsolate figure in the aftermath of Barcelona’s humiliating 4-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, probably because it was the same old story. As Diego Simeone’s side rippled the net four times in the first half alone, Barca’s backline looked shell-shocked. But up the other end of the pitch, none of his team-mates looked ready to shoulder the burden. Yamal wore the look of a player who is mentally jaded, with too much responsibility to bear. At his age, that should be an alarming sight for any fan of the Blaugrana.

If Yamal isn’t enjoying his football, Barca are unlikely to be performing well – and the statistics prove it. In their six defeats in all competitions this season, Yamal has failed to score in any of them, registering just one assist. And when he doesn’t score or assist in a game that he plays, Barca’s record is five wins and four losses from nine games (as shown by the graphic below).

What it exhibits is when the teenager has a rare off day, Barca’s other attacking stars are simply not stepping up. Equally, harsh critics could say that Yamal himself doesn’t deliver when the going gets tough. But he shouldn’t have to – not when he’s only 18 years old. In actual fact, this has been another brilliant season from the Spain international by any metrics.

On course to emulate Messi at 18

From his 31 appearances and 1,599 minutes on the pitch, Yamal has returned an incredible 15 goals and 13 assists. In LaLiga alone, he has 10 goals and nine assists from 19 outings, averaging 1.07 goals or assists per 90 minutes. For context, when Lionel Messi was the same age, the Argentinian scored 17 goals and provided three assists in 2,001 minutes on the pitch across 36 appearances.

Frankly, head coach Hansi Flick should be expecting more from the more senior players in his team. In LaLiga this season, Raphinha has eight goals and three assists, Dani Olmo with six goals and six assists and Marcus Rashford has produced four goals and eight assists. Yamal has them all beaten and he’s at least eight years younger than them, despite the trio being in what many would consider to be their prime years. Only Ferran Torres can escape criticism for the fact he has found the net more often (12 goals), with Robert Lewandowski tied with Yamal on 10.

LaLiga title challenge on the line

The concern for Barcelona now is that their form is slipping at the worst time. Real Madrid thumped Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, courtesy of two Vinicius Junior penalties in addition to goals from Gonzalo Garcia and Federico Valverde. Whatever interim boss Alvaro Arbeloa has done in recent weeks – whether it’s improved squad rotation or a more simplified version of football – Madrid now look capable of maintaining a title challenge in the final weeks of the season. Los Cules, however, look porous at the back and their high line was badly exposed by Atletico in the Copa del Rey thrashing.

Ahead of their crucial Catalonia derby with Girona on Monday, all eyes will be on Yamal to deliver again. He has delivered two goals and three assists in his last four games against the opposition, while Barca have won all of the last three meetings between the two sides. But it’s up to Flick and the other players in the squad to ensure that if Yamal has another off day, it won’t be fatal for their chances of retaining the title.