The Spain wonderkid has opened the new season in spectacular fashion, and the sky is the limit if he doesn't get carried away with his own hype
"Lamine is a difference-maker," Girona manager Michel said after watching the Barcelona forward torment his side in La Liga on Sunday. "For me, he is already one of the best players in the world at 17 years of age. It is difficult to imagine that after [Lionel] Messi another [like him] would come along, but I hope that Lamine keeps improving because he's a player who can reach that level."
Yamal scored his first away brace for Barcelona at Estadi Montilivi to help wrap up an impressive 4-1 victory, taking his tally for goal involvements at the start of the 2024-25 campaign to seven in three games - the second-best haul in Europe's top-five leagues behind Erling Haaland, and just two fewer than he managed in the whole of last season. That is not normal for a kid who only turned 17 in July.
It would have been natural for Yamal to suffer from burnout after playing a key role in Spain's run to the 2024 European Championship title, but he's just picked up from where he left off in Germany. Yamal is hitting heights that not even the great Messi could manage at the same age.
Only time will tell if Michel's words are to prove prophetic, but Barcelona are currently the best team in La Liga again, which is mostly down to Yamal's brilliance. And ahead of the Blaugrana's return to Champions League action, he's the main reason supporters are dreaming of continental glory for the first time since Messi's departure from the club.
Yamal's Rise: Beyond La Masia
We have given plenty of praise to Lamine Yamal’s craft over the past month, but it was his graft that sparked Barcelona into a brilliant 4-1 away win against Girona on Sunday.
The key moment came in the 30th minute when Yamal rushed Girona defender David Lopez as he tried to build out from the back. Having won the ball, Yamal spun on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat. The match was still scoreless and next to him was Robert Lewandowski — waiting for the easiest of tap-ins.
What Yamal did next can be understood as another evolution of his profile. He is no longer simply the latest young star to emerge from La Masia, Barca’s famed academy. He is their go-to figure on and off the pitch, a 17-year-old who naturally ignored the veteran striker beside him in that moment because he has more than earned the right to take the shot on himself.
His confident finish set up a riotous victory — against fellow Catalans who humbled them twice in last season’s meetings — with Yamal again the star of the party. He scored his second seven minutes later, curling home a loose ball from the edge of the box.
We were all impressed by Yamal’s brilliant performances as Spain won the European Championship in the summer and the start of this season has seen him hit the ground still running. He has been involved in seven goals (scoring three, assisting four) in Barca’s five La Liga games. Across Europe’s top five leagues, only Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has better figures, with nine goals scored (in four matches).
Beyond the Magic: Hard Work and Consistency
Yamal is not just a collection of sparks. There’s consistent production in his game now and there’s hard work, too. Barcelona have registered the highest number of final-third possession turnovers in La Liga so far this term, with 30. Yamal has contributed eight of those — no player in the competition has more.
We’re still seeing the grace, skill and trickery, but now he’s also making the difference with his off-the-ball actions, like the pressure for that opening goal here. It had Barcelona manager Hansi Flick punching the air.
“Lamine normally gives the last pass and I’m very pleased by that of course, but today I was especially satisfied by seeing him taking the chances and scoring,” Flick said in his press conference after the game.
There were plenty of reasons for the German to be smiling on Sunday evening.
He and his side passed what was arguably their biggest test together since he took over in the summer — a Catalan derby that last season was traumatic for fans, with Girona scoring eight goals in two 4-2 victories that were critical in deciding predecessor Xavi’s future.
“Barcelona were clearly the better team,” said Girona coach Michel. “We did not find a way out to this high pressure they do with both wingers closing inside and attacking the centre-backs.”
Beyond Yamal: Pedri's Return and the New Barca Identity
Yamal made the difference, but if someone else deserves a special mention, it is his team-mate Pedri.
The 21-year-old is going through his best spell in three years (some might even say his best at Barca, full stop). The way in which he has bossed every midfield he’s been a part of this season has been remarkable. Against Girona, he scored to make it 4-0 just after the hour, but he also recovered the ball 11 times. Over the previous two seasons, he’s averaged just below four ball recoveries per game.
From a physical perspective, he looks fantastic. Having missed more than 80 games over the previous three seasons with a variety of ailments, Pedri has played in every game of this one so far after being presented with a special training plan, focused on strength, to protect him from further muscle injury.
He dribbled past goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to score his goal, then ran to the touchline to hug Flick. “Pedri told me he would score just before the game, so that’s why he came to me I guess,” said the Barca manager.
Then there’s the case of Marc Casado, another La Masia product who was not given a decent chance under Xavi last season but has now turned into a perfect solution in midfield. The 21-year-old does not make football too complicated, playing it simple, but he understands the game and delivers holding and attacking roles whenever the team requires.
A New Era Under Hansi Flick: Building a Legacy
A 4-2 defeat at Girona’s Montilivi stadium near the end of last season convinced club president Joan Laporta to reconsider Xavi’s position and he was eventually sacked. Four months later, in that same location, Flick settled a score with local rivals while showing the strongest signs yet that this really is a refreshed Barcelona — despite the team having made just one significant summer addition in Dani Olmo.
An injury to Olmo was the only dark side to what was an almost perfect win.
The Spain international, who scored his third goal in three games in a Barca shirt to put the away side 3-0 up early in the second half, was taken off the pitch with a hamstring injury around the hour mark. Flick confirmed he will undergo more tests in the coming days, but club sources expect the injury won’t be too serious, though he is very likely to miss Thursday’s Champions League opener away against Monaco of France’s Ligue 1.
This will be a long season and there will be bumps in the road, but the first glimpses of the new Barca have been enough to excite fans — and it is easy to see why.
After early-season expectations dominated by talk of Real Madrid’s latest galacticos line-up, Flick’s side are the best team in La Liga by a distance right now.
(Top photo: Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.
Pol joined The Athletic in 2021, initially moving to Manchester to assist us with our Manchester City, Manchester United and Spanish reporting. Since 2015 he has been an English football correspondent for multiple Spanish media, such as Diario Sport and RAC1 radio station. He has also worked for The Times. In 2019, he co-wrote the book Pep’s City: The Making of a Superteam. He will now move back to Spain, covering FC Barcelona for The Athletic. Follow Pol on Twitter @polballus
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal: The Future of the Club?
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal struck twice to help deliver a commanding 4-1 win at Girona on Sunday that extended their perfect start to La Liga with a fifth consecutive win while Conor Gallagher scored his first goal in Atlético Madrid colours.
The Spain winger gave Barça a two-goal lead with strikes in the 30th and 37th minutes while Dani Olmo extended their advantage right after the break with a first-time effort from close range.
Pedri scored the fourth with a tap-in in the 64th minute while the Girona substitute Cristhian Stuani netted a consolation goal in the 80th, six minutes before Barça were reduced to 10 men when Ferran Torres was given a straight red card for a nasty studs-up challenge on Yáser Asprilla.
Gallagher, who joined Atlético this summer in a protracted move from Chelsea, gave them the lead at home against Valencia after 39 minutes. Antoine Griezmann doubled their advantage 15 minutes later and Julián Álvarez also scored his first Atlético goal since his summer move from Manchester City.
Barcelona top the league with 15 points, four ahead of Real Madrid, Atlético and Villarreal.
In Serie A, Atalanta, Arsenal’s Champions League opponents on Thursday, won 3-2 at home to Fiorentina, with all the goals coming in the first half.
The visitors were 2-1 up after half an hour but the Europa League holders responded with two goals in 60 seconds at the end of the half: Charles De Ketelaere made it 2-2 with a header and then Ademola Lookman pounced in the first minute of stoppage time.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli have overtaken the defending champions Internazionale at the top. Conte heaped praise on Romelu Lukaku for his performance after a 4-0 victory at Cagliari. The Belgian scored one and provided two assists. “I have always said that I wanted Romelu at Inter Milan, had also requested him at Chelsea before he went to Manchester United, because he is an atypical striker,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia. “He is extremely tall and physically strong, but also very good at sprinting forward. His condition is still nowhere near optimal, but he becomes fundamental for us.”
Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Alessandro Buongiorno scored the other goals for Napoli. Scotland midfielders Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour made their debuts after joining Napoli at the end of the transfer window. The pair – signed from Manchester United and Brighton respectively – came on together in the 74th minute with their new side 3-0 up.
Inter had the chance to return to the summit later on Sunday but were held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Monza. The hosts took a shock lead in the 81st minute through substitute Dany Mota’s header, but Denzel Dumfries levelled in the 88th minute with close-range finish. Inter are on eight points after four games, in second ahead of Juventus and Torino on goal difference, with Napoli top on nine points after the same number of matches.
The New Barcelona: A Team Effort
It has always been true that FC Barcelona has always focused on being a club that pays special attention to connections. Until and unless the players and staff feel connected within the club, there is no chance for success. Fortunately, however, it would appear that Hansi Flick has kept that going at Barcelona.
So far, the German tactician has helped his team maintain a perfect record in La Liga. With five wins out of five games now, and players constantly smiling and in a joyous mood while playing for the team, it is clear to see the kind of environment that Flick has created.
Even during their recent win over Girona, the Barcelona players were constantly in a positive mood throughout the game. However, when it came to Pedri’s goal, the celebration with Hansi Flick felt a lot more special and personal as the player ran over to his coach and embraced him.
Following the game, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick even revealed the real reason behind why Pedri came running to him and why the both of them celebrated the way they did with so much excitement together:
“Pedri came to hug me after scoring his goal because before the match, I told him he was going to score today.“
A wholesome moment for both player and coach, it will surely be a memorable one for Barcelona fans as well. Always seen as a rather strict and stoic figure, seeing this side of Hansi Flick has proven to be a great change of pace for Barça as well judging by the results that the team has produced.
So far, this perfect balance of strictness and playfulness is working brilliantly for the Catalan club. Pedri’s case is just one example, as the German coach has been more than thrilled on several occasions whenever Barcelona has scored, particularly when it comes to Lamine Yamal’s goals as people on social media have seemed to notice as the season continues to go on.
Yamal's Continued Dominance: A Look Ahead
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss how good Barcelona and Lamine Yamal are after their 4-1 win over Girona.
GIRONA, Spain -- Barcelona's Lamine Yamal struck twice in the first half to help deliver a commanding 4-1 win at Girona on Sunday that extended their perfect start to the season with a fifth consecutive win.
Yamal gave Barça a two-goal lead with strikes in the 30th and 37th minutes while Dani Olmo extended their advantage right after the break with a first-time effort from close range.
Pedri scored the fourth with a tap-in in the 64th minute while Girona substitute Cristhian Stuani netted a consolation goal in the 80th, six minutes before Barca were reduced to 10 men when forward Ferran Torres was given a straight red card for a nasty studs-up challenge on Yaser Asprilla.
Barça are top of LaLiga with 15 points, four ahead Real Madrid and Villarreal. Girona are seventh on seven points.
A Star in the Making
Lamine Yamal continued his rich vein of form for Barcelona against Girona, scoring twice in a 4-1 victory for the LaLiga giants at Montilivi.
The opening goal was all his own work as he robbed David López before calmly finishing past Paulo Gazzaniga. His second, meanwhile, whizzed into the net from the edge of the box just a few minutes later.
Although the winger only just turned 17 in July, he has already shown he is capable of being one of world soccer’s most decisive players for club and country.
🔥 FULL TIME! 🔥#GironaBarça pic.twitter.com/xqiD0mY4ht
In the early stages of the 2024/25 season, only one player in Europe’s major leagues has been directly involved in more goals than Yamal, who has assisted four in addition to the three he has scored himself.
Unsurprisingly, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland leads the way with nine goals (no assists), with Yamal next on the list with seven (three goals, four assists).
That puts the youngster ahead of big names such as Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (four goals, two assists), teammate Robert Lewandowski (four goals, two assists), Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah (three goals, three assists) and PSG winger Ousmane Dembélé (three goals, two assists), as well the likes of Marseille duo Mason Greenwood (five goals) and Luis Henrique (three goals, two assists), Hoffenheim striker Andre Kramaric (four goals, one assist) and Barça’s Raphinha (three goals, two assists).
⭐️ PLAYER OF THE GAME! ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/eR4N1yYOlx
The teenager was named Young Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024, which he played a key role in helping Spain win, and is one of the 30 players nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Yamal, it seems, is here to stay.
Since making his Barcelona debut as a 15-year-old in April 2023, the forward’s maturity and confidence on the field have belied his age. It was even in evidence against Girona on Sunday, when he could easily have become flustered after losing possession while dribbling in the early stages.
A Star in the Making: The Future is Now
Instead, he kept his head up and was rewarded with two goals, which he celebrated with little fanfare. Yamal had the opportunity to add to his tally himself, but showed great unselfishness to pick out teammates in a better position, notably Lewandowski, who went close to a fifth Barça goal in the second half.
With Dani Olmo set for a month out of action, and the Champions League about to begin with an away game in Monaco on Thursday, there will be little respite for Yamal in the coming weeks. He has shown flashes of his brilliance in spells, but can he keep it up across a full season? Time is on his side, but coach Hansi Flick is already hanging his hat on the young winger.
More Than Just a Player: A Symbol of Hope
Barcelona has always been a breeding ground for young talent, but Yamal is more than just another promising prospect. He is a symbol of hope for a club that is trying to rebuild after the departure of Lionel Messi. With his raw talent, unwavering confidence, and willingness to work hard, Yamal has the potential to become a legend at Camp Nou. Whether he can live up to the hype remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: the future of Barcelona is in good hands.
