Club Brugge - Barcelona: Now is the time for Yamal to shine

05/11/2025 07:23:00 PlaymakerHub

Saying goodbye to a tough October, Lamine Yamal greets November by scoring his first goal against Elche last weekend and aims to keep that momentum going in the game against Club Brugge tonight.

The number 10’s physical condition has gotten better, but he still has plenty to improve. This is shown by the fact that he managed only 2 successful dribbles, a figure that invites serious consideration.

A challenging October

October was truly a harsh month for Lamine Yamal. Using Flick’s words from last year, it was a “completely bad October,” starting with a defeat against PSG (1-2) on the first day of the month—a match where Nuno Mendes and Luis Enrique seemed to overwhelm him—and ending at the Bernabeu with another loss, this time in the El Clasico (1-2), where he was completely dominated by the duo of Alvaro Carreras and Xabi Alonso.

In the middle of the month, a groin injury forced him to miss the match in Seville, where the Spanish champions were ruthlessly defeated, leading to Yamal’s exclusion from the national team. Moreover, his recovery process was complicated by controversy surrounding a trip to Croatia with music star Nicki Nicole.

Yamal appeared calm during the tense week before the El Clasico, but at the Bernabeu, he lost his power and energy on the pitch, lacked agility, and was completely subdued by Carreras. Overall, the 18-year-old prodigy ended the month without resolving issues related to injury, personal life, criticism, and suffered defeats in major matches.

However, Lamine Yamal took only 7 minutes to announce his comeback after the bitter loss in the Clasico, declaring he would fight for every title, just as he promised to do in last season’s Champions League when Barca was eliminated in Milan. He had not scored in domestic competition since August 31. Additionally, his training performance declined, and his social life began to dominate the young striker. Everything around him seemed to revolve around something other than football.

The goal against Elche was a release for the number 10 from the recent noise surrounding him—his physical condition, his situation amid the Barca-RFEF conflict, and his controversial remarks against Real Madrid.

Lamine Yamal is expected to flourish in November

Before the Elche match, he scored, kissed the club badge, and regained composure. Clearly, this is not the Yamal from last season, having touched the ball only 41 times with a low pass accuracy of 70.8% (17/24). He attempted 5 dribbles but succeeded only twice, still far from the extraordinary numbers of the previous season. He also missed a clear scoring chance. However, Yamal appeared physically better, nearing full fitness, which he hopes to achieve by the time the national teams convene.

A hopeful November

Lamine ended October with 319 minutes played, during which he scored only one penalty goal against Olympiacos and made one excellent assist to Pedri, who was almost solely responsible for the 1-0 win over Girona. The worst aspect was his overall performance. He lacked speed and strength, and the magic of the number 10 in one-on-one situations was significantly diminished.

In the post-match press conference after the win over Elche, Hansi Flick called for patience with Lamine. “He is young, he needs time, and all of us will support him.” It remains unclear what the Elche victory will mean for Yamal in all respects: mentally, physically, and behaviorally. At the club, some urge him to remain humble and quietly work to regain the form that earned him second place in the world player rankings by journalists.

However, others believe Yamal’s nature is pure, and he has proven that he can reach the highest level while maintaining his character. October gives way to November, eagerly awaited by both the player and the Catalan team.

He has scored a goal that brings hope, and everyone connected to Barcelona will soon hear melodies ringing from Yamal’s feet.

Thien Y

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