The 18-year-old winger struggled in the Clasico last weekend as champions Barca fell to a defeat
\n BARCELONA
\nBarcelona coach Hansi Flick said Saturday he will \u201cprotect\u201d teenage star Lamine Yamal after recent criticism.
\nThe 18-year-old winger struggled in the Clasico last weekend as champions Barca fell to a defeat that left them five points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
\nYamal was also in the spotlight for comments before the game insinuating Madrid \u201csteal (and) complain\u201d which riled Los Blancos fans and a big part of the Spanish media.
\n\u201cWe speak with him… we are very honest together, he with me and I with him and this is the best way,\u201d Flick told a news conference ahead of Barca\u2019s match against Elche on Sunday in La Liga.
\n\u201cI will always protect him and support him. He\u2019s a fantastic player, fantastic guy, he\u2019s very young and we will go on this way.\u201d
\nYamal has been struggling with a groin injury for a few weeks and although he started the Clasico, he put in a subdued performance and still seems affected by the issue.
\n\u201cLamine is good. I just spoke with him and he\u2019s doing good,\u201d continued Flick.
\n\u201cOf course he has some days where he feels some pain but now he really works hard, he improve a lot about these things. He\u2019s on a good evolution so this is what we can say.\u201d
\nThe German coach said Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo were available again after injury, while Barca are still without Pedri Gonzalez, Gavi and Joan Garcia among others.
\nFlick explained veteran striker Lewandowski and playmaker Olmo\u2019s returns had helped raise the quality in training.
\n\u201cWhat I can see now with Dani and also with Lewy back, the last two training (sessions) were very good,\u201d added Flick.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s not just that they increase the level and quality, but that the others are increasing their level, also the young players. It\u2019s nice to see and hopefully we can show it tomorrow.\u201d
\nThe Catlans host Elche at the Olympic Stadium, with the promoted side coached by Eder Sarabia, who was a former Barca assistant coach under Quique Setien.
\nElche are in mid-table after a strong start to the season, having suffered only two defeats, and Flick said they play \u201cfantastic football\u201d.
\nBarcelona to show off unfinished Camp Nou with public training session
\nAfter two years in exile as the Camp Nou was renovated, Barcelona will return to the stadium for a public training session on November 7, the club announced Friday.
\nCapacity for the event will be limited to 23,000, less than a quarter of the 105,000 the stadium is expected to hold once the heavily-delayed construction is completed.
\n\u201cThe FC Barcelona men\u2019s football first team will officially return to the Spotify Camp Nou next Friday, November 7, to hold an open training session in front of the Barca fan,\u201d the club said on its website.
\nTickets will cost five euros (5.77 dollars) for club members and 10 euros for the general public, with proceeds going to a club charity for sick children, said Barcelona.
\nMore than two years since the start of renovation works, the famous stadium is still not ready to host matches, even with a reduced capacity.
\n\u201cThis session will also serve as a technical and operational test to ensure the proper functioning of systems, access points, various aspects of the facility, as part of the stadium\u2019s gradual reopening process,\u201d said the club.
\nThe city\u2019s fire department has raised concerns over evacuation routes, among other safety issues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 18-year-old winger struggled in the Clasico last weekend as champions Barca fell to a defeat BARCELONA Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Saturday he will \u201cprotect\u201d teenage star Lamine Yamal after recent criticism. The 18-year-old winger struggled in the Clasico last weekend as champions Barca fell to a defeat that left them five points behind […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":512171,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-512157","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n