Barca is anxious about the question mark named Yamal

Yamal's underwhelming form in important matches is compelling Barca to rethink how they operate their offense in crucial encounters.

In the early hours of February 13, Barcelona suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the King's Cup semi-final. In a completely dominated match, Lamine Yamal had almost no space to accelerate or take on opponents one-on-one. The right flank was tightly shut down, making Barca's attacks noticeably lacking in creativity.

Atletico’s pressing and double-layered defensive coverage effectively “neutralized” Barca’s young spearhead. Every time Yamal received the ball, he was immediately surrounded, forcing him to pass back or retreat to his own half. With the player capable of making the biggest impact being nullified, Barca’s other attacking options appeared disjointed and easy to break down from a distance. This defeat further highlights the doubts about Yamal’s ability to make a difference in big matches this season.

Looking at the whole season, this early morning defeat is not an isolated case. In major clashes, Yamal often goes silent. In encounters with Real Madrid in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup final, as well as Champions League matches against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, the 19-year-old winger has not recorded a single goal or assist.

Conversely, when facing weaker opponents, Yamal maintains a fairly consistent rate of goals and assists, showing that his ability to make a difference has not disappeared. The issue lies in adapting to the intensity and defensive organization in big games, where space is minimized and even small mistakes are costly.

Given this reality, Barca needs additional options to “share the load” and ease the pressure on Yamal: rotating positions, stretching the opponent’s defensive lines with other attackers, or increasing overlapping support. For Yamal himself, the next step is not just technical skill but composure in tightly controlled matches. Overcoming this challenge in big games will determine his star potential in the near future.