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#Injured #Yamal #stronger #World #Cup #Barcelonas #Flick">Injured Yamal will come back stronger at World Cup: Barcelona’s Flick Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said on Friday that injured teenage star Lamine Yamal would return to action at the World Cup this summer with Spain, even “stronger” than he is now.
The 18-year-old was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury which he suffered on Wednesday as Barcelona beat Celta Vigo in La Liga.
Yamal won and converted a penalty to help his side stay nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table, but immediately went down injured and was substituted.
“It’s not easy this situation for us, but also for him,” Flick told reporters.
“He knows it was his first muscle injury. What I can feel is that he is very focussed. He has the motivation — he is out for us, but I think for the World Cup he will be there and he will be stronger, (he will) come back stronger than now.”
Yamal, who finished second in the Ballon d’Or vote last year and helped Spain triumph at Euro 2024, has been a key figure in Barcelona’s attempt to defend its La Liga title.
Flick said that Yamal may have been hurt by the foul which brought him down for the penalty, but that he did not realise the situation he was in as he had not suffered such an injury before.
“He felt something after the foul, but I think it was not so much. And he decided to kick the penalty and after that it’s maybe more,” said Flick.
“He never had a muscle injury before, so it’s also part of learning about the signal the body gives you.
“It’s not so easy because he is really young, but at the end it’s an experience. And this is what he has to learn.”
Yamal has scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists this season for Barca across all competitions and has nine goals in his last 12 league matches.
“I really appreciate a lot the last weeks. He was on an unbelievable level. He’s more mature than 18,” added Flick.
“He’s clever, he’s smart and he knows what he wants. Of course, now this injury affects him also… but then you have to focus on what’s going on in the process to come back, to get fitter and fitter and better and better.”
Barcelona visits Getafe on Saturday while Madrid travels to Real Betis on Friday.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said on Friday that injured teenage star Lamine Yamal would return…
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#UEFA #Champions #League #Atletico #personality #prevent #Barca #comeback #Koke">UEFA Champions League 2025-26: Atletico need ‘personality’ to prevent Barca comeback, says Koke
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke said Monday his team must play with “personality” to stop Barcelona from mounting a Champions League quarterfinal comeback.
The Rojiblancos earned a 2-0 first-leg win at Camp Nou last week and host the Spanish champions on Tuesday, aiming to reach the semifinal for the first time since 2017.
Five-time winner Barcelona reached the final four last season and arrives at the Metropolitano stadium determined to fight its way back into the tie and ramp up the pressure on the hosts.
“It’s hugely important to beat the press they usually put on,” Koke told reporters.
“They’re a team that presses very high, that pushes their line almost up to the halfway line, that presses you, that suffocates you.
“That’s where our personality comes in, when it’s time to play, to want the ball, to make ourselves available, to make runs in behind.”
The match is the third between the sides in the last fortnight and the sixth they have played this season, with Atletico knocking Barca out in the Copa del Rey semifinal.
“We’ve faced each other many times throughout this year,” continued the midfielder.
“We know each other perfectly, and it’s going to be very important to take the ball off them, attack the spaces well, and have the personality to want the ball and not lose it.”
Koke scored against Barca in the 2014 quarterfinal as Atletico — which has never won the competition — went on to reach the final, as it did in 2016, losing on both occasions to rival Real Madrid.
ALSO READ | Premier League 2025-26 — Man City routs Chelsea to close gap on leaders Arsenal
“I’ve watched that goal quite a few times,” admitted Koke.
“It’s true that when these kinds of matches start coming around, you try to motivate yourself and you try to visualise a lot of positive things that happened, like in 2014, like in 2016, and like in the first leg a week ago.”
Atletico coach Diego Simeone kept his cards close to his chest ahead of the second leg, refusing to say whether goalkeeper Jan Oblak was fit to start or elaborate much on anything at all.
“We’re fully aware of the strong opponent we’ll have in front of us,” said the coach. “But we’re also clear about our objective, which is to go through.”
Published on Apr 13, 2026
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke said Monday his team must play with “personality” to stop Barcelona from mounting a Champions League quarterfinal comeback.
The Rojiblancos earned a 2-0 first-leg win at Camp Nou last week and host the Spanish champions on Tuesday, aiming to reach the semifinal for the first time since 2017.
Five-time winner Barcelona reached the final four last season and arrives at the Metropolitano stadium determined to fight its way back into the tie and ramp up the pressure on the hosts.
“It’s hugely important to beat the press they usually put on,” Koke told reporters.
“They’re a team that presses very high, that pushes their line almost up to the halfway line, that presses you, that suffocates you.
“That’s where our personality comes in, when it’s time to play, to want the ball, to make ourselves available, to make runs in behind.”
The match is the third between the sides in the last fortnight and the sixth they have played this season, with Atletico knocking Barca out in the Copa del Rey semifinal.
“We’ve faced each other many times throughout this year,” continued the midfielder.
“We know each other perfectly, and it’s going to be very important to take the ball off them, attack the spaces well, and have the personality to want the ball and not lose it.”
Koke scored against Barca in the 2014 quarterfinal as Atletico — which has never won the competition — went on to reach the final, as it did in 2016, losing on both occasions to rival Real Madrid.
ALSO READ | Premier League 2025-26 — Man City routs Chelsea to close gap on leaders Arsenal
“I’ve watched that goal quite a few times,” admitted Koke.
“It’s true that when these kinds of matches start coming around, you try to motivate yourself and you try to visualise a lot of positive things that happened, like in 2014, like in 2016, and like in the first leg a week ago.”
Atletico coach Diego Simeone kept his cards close to his chest ahead of the second leg, refusing to say whether goalkeeper Jan Oblak was fit to start or elaborate much on anything at all.
“We’re fully aware of the strong opponent we’ll have in front of us,” said the coach. “But we’re also clear about our objective, which is to go through.”
Published on Apr 13, 2026
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke said Monday his team must play with “personality” to stop Barcelona…
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#Champions #League #Barcelonas #priority #derby #remains #crucial #Hansi #Flick">Champions League is Barcelona’s priority, but derby remains crucial: Hansi Flick
Barcelona’s main goal this season is to win the Champions League but coach Hansi Flick on Friday told his players to focus on this weekend’s La Liga derby against Espanyol.
Atletico Madrid beat Barca 2-0 at Camp Nou in the quarterfinal first leg in midweek, leaving the Catalans with an uphill struggle next Tuesday in the Spanish capital.
League leader Barca hosts local rival Espanyol on Saturday with a seven-point gap to Real Madrid in second.
“The dream for every player, the club, the fans, the coaches is to win the Champions League,” Flick told reporters.
“In every (European) game you see the team is five percent more motivated (above) 100 percent. This is the competition, this is why we are here.
“We have to make our daily job, this is La Liga, but in the end the most important thing is to win the Champions League. This is the goal from my side, the players and the club.”
Five-time Champions League winner Barca last won the trophy in 2015.
The reigning Spanish champion beat Espanyol in January and since then Manolo Gonzalez’s side have failed to win a single match and have fallen to 10th after a strong first half of the season.
“We have a lot of players from La Masia (the club’s youth academy), they know exactly what it means to play against Espanyol,” said Flick.
“It’s a derby, we are playing at home and I want to win it.”
ALSO READ: Bayern starlet Karl ruled out of UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Real Madrid
The coach indicated that he would “manage minutes” by rotating some players between the two Atletico clashes, but said that “whoever is starting tomorrow will be a fantastic team”.
Flick said that his players will not be distracted by the visit to the Metropolitano Stadium next week.
“This is their job, what they have to do. They are very focussed and ready for tomorrow,” added the German coach.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
Barcelona’s main goal this season is to win the Champions League but coach Hansi Flick on Friday told his players to focus on this weekend’s La Liga derby against Espanyol.
Atletico Madrid beat Barca 2-0 at Camp Nou in the quarterfinal first leg in midweek, leaving the Catalans with an uphill struggle next Tuesday in the Spanish capital.
League leader Barca hosts local rival Espanyol on Saturday with a seven-point gap to Real Madrid in second.
“The dream for every player, the club, the fans, the coaches is to win the Champions League,” Flick told reporters.
“In every (European) game you see the team is five percent more motivated (above) 100 percent. This is the competition, this is why we are here.
“We have to make our daily job, this is La Liga, but in the end the most important thing is to win the Champions League. This is the goal from my side, the players and the club.”
Five-time Champions League winner Barca last won the trophy in 2015.
The reigning Spanish champion beat Espanyol in January and since then Manolo Gonzalez’s side have failed to win a single match and have fallen to 10th after a strong first half of the season.
“We have a lot of players from La Masia (the club’s youth academy), they know exactly what it means to play against Espanyol,” said Flick.
“It’s a derby, we are playing at home and I want to win it.”
ALSO READ: Bayern starlet Karl ruled out of UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Real Madrid
The coach indicated that he would “manage minutes” by rotating some players between the two Atletico clashes, but said that “whoever is starting tomorrow will be a fantastic team”.
Flick said that his players will not be distracted by the visit to the Metropolitano Stadium next week.
“This is their job, what they have to do. They are very focussed and ready for tomorrow,” added the German coach.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
Barcelona’s main goal this season is to win the Champions League but coach Hansi Flick…
