FC Barcelona's head coach, Hansi Flick, stated yesterday that he will continue to 'protect' young star Lamine Yamal, following recent criticism. The 18-year-old winger struggled in last weekend's 'El Clásico', where Barcelona lost to their rival Real Madrid, widening the gap between the teams to five points at the top of the La Liga table. Yamal also sparked controversy with pre-match comments suggesting that Real Madrid 'steals and complains', angering the 'Royal Club's' fans and a large part of the Spanish media. At a press conference ahead of Barcelona's match against Elche in La Liga today, Flick said: 'We talk to him. Of course, there are days when he feels some pain, but he is working hard now and has developed a lot in this area. I just spoke with him, and he is feeling better.' He added: 'We are very honest with each other, he is with me and I am with him, and that is the best way.' 'I will always protect him and support him. He is a great player, a great young man, and he is still very young, and we will continue on this path.' Yamal has been suffering from a thigh injury for several weeks, and despite starting in 'El Clásico', his performance was lackluster, and he still appears to be affected by the injury. Flick also confirmed that Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo are ready to return after injuries, while the team still lacks the services of Pedri, Gavi, and Joan García, among others. Flick explained that the return of veteran striker Lewandowski and playmaker Olmo has contributed to raising the level of training. 'He is on a good development path, and that is what we can say.'
