Lamine Yamal was not angry after substitution, Flick explains

The internet needed one close-up to diagnose a conflict between Lamine Yamal and Hansi Flick. Barcelona’s coach offered a less dramatic explanation: the player had a headache.

Yamal was replaced in the 65th minute of Barcelona’s 5-0 win over Elche, with his team leading 2-0. Anthony Gordon took his place. Cameras then showed the 19-year-old looking serious and dejected on the bench, prompting claims that he was angry with Flick or deeply frustrated by the decision.

The coach addressed the scene before Thursday’s match against Athletic.

“He had a minor issue. He had a headache,” Flick said, as reported by Cadena SER.

Flick did not deny that Yamal wanted to remain on the pitch. He described that desire as a normal part of the winger’s competitive mentality. There was no public rebellion against the coach and no dressing-room crisis waiting to be uncovered. There was simply a player who wanted more minutes while not feeling entirely well.

Yamal is also still working his way back to full sharpness. He had three weeks off after winning the World Cup and completed only a few training sessions before Barcelona’s LaLiga opener.

“It is normal that he is not at his best level yet,” Flick explained. “We have to find a solution to help him get back there.”

The coach was nevertheless pleased with Yamal’s contribution. He highlighted the winger’s pressing before the opening goal and his role in Karim Adeyemi’s strike. Yamal won possession and quickly released Raphinha, who played Adeyemi through to make it 2-0. Reuters’ match report also noted his involvement in the move.

“I value his 60 minutes a lot,” Flick added. “He gave us more options and helped us. We need him because he is exceptional.”

The substitution happened to work perfectly. Gordon provided two assists within six minutes of entering the pitch, setting up Raphinha and Fermín López. It was probably not the ideal cure for Yamal’s mood, but expecting an ambitious player to celebrate his replacement’s immediate success from the bench would be asking quite a lot.

Nothing in Flick’s update suggests a serious medical problem or a dispute inside the squad. Yamal is still rebuilding his rhythm after a short preparation period and is expected to remain available for the meeting with Athletic.

The mysterious expression now has an explanation. No rebellion, no feud and no crisis involving Barcelona’s number 10. Just a headache – although surrounding the club, those have been known to spread quickly.