Why Lamine Yamal asked to be substituted in Barcelona win that saw teenage wonderkid register his 15th goal of the season

Barca are looking to successfully defend their Spanish top-flight crown this season, with Clasico rivals Real Madrid breathing down their neck in what is shaping up to be a thrilling fight to the finish.

Yamal helped to ensure that there would be no wobble against Mallorca, with the 18-year-old on target in a game that also saw Robert Lewandowski and Marc Bernal hit the net. Yamal raised some concerns when being replaced in the 78th minute, with inevitable injury questions being asked.

Flick has pointed out that Barca were merely managing the youngster’s workload, with Yamal asking to be taken off after completing his job for the day. Flick told reporters: “We need to manage Lamine’s minutes. I know he’s enjoying it. He wasn’t at his best in the first half, but he was much better in the second. He’s fantastic. I asked him if he wanted me to substitute him, and he said yes.”

Flick was booked for complaining about decisions that involved Yamal, with the German of the opinion that a spot-kick should have been awarded before the Mallorca wall then encroached from a free-kick.

He said: “There was no reason for him to give me a yellow card. The Mallorca players were ahead of the wall’s markings, and in my opinion, it was a penalty on Lamine. That’s what I told the referee.”

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While Yamal was given a breather against Mallorca, Marc Casado saw more game time than usual - as he played the full 90 minutes. Explaining that decision, Flick said: “We have a lot of matches and we have fantastic professionals. He deserved to play too. Frenkie wasn’t feeling quite right, so I decided he should rest. But he would have started whether De Jong was there or not. The important thing is that everyone steps up. I’m happy because that’s the foundation of success. If you train at 100 per cent, then you can play at a high level in competition.”

Netherlands international De Jong was an unused substitute for Barca. That allowed another academy graduate, Tommy Marques, to make his first team debut late on - as he was introduced with six minutes remaining.

The 19-year-old midfielder is another of those that Barcelona have high hopes for, with Flick adding: “This is our path and our philosophy. It’s good for the club and for La Masia. We respect the work they do in the youth academy. Tommy has a lot of potential; you can already see it. We’re happy he had his first minutes with Barca.

“He could be De Jong’s little brother! It’s a dream for him too. He can play as a defensive midfielder, a central midfielder, a defensive midfielder. Even as a right centre-back. And that’s what I like and love.”

Another home-grown star, 18-year-old Bernal, netted his first senior goal for Barca after struggling with injuries this season. Flick was delighted for the teenager, saying: “Well, you could see it on the bench. Everyone stood up and celebrated. It was an incredible moment for him, a dream come true. For him, it’s another step on his path to reaching the top.”

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