Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised Lamine Yamal for reacting like a champion after missing out on the Ballon d'Or to Bayern Munich's Harry Kane. The 19-year-old finished third, behind Kane and Kylian Mbappé, but still won the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year. Flick expressed pride in Yamal's focus and training dedication, stating he is on the level to win the trophy.
Yamal, however, believed teammate Pau Cubarsí deserved the Kopa Trophy more. Following back-to-back defeats to PSG and Madrid, Barça aims to rebound against Alavés. Flick remains optimistic about their La Liga title chances but is concerned about multiple defensive injuries, including Jules Koundé, Xavi Espart, Eric García, and Andreas Christensen.
With limited defenders available, Flick suggested potential solutions like playing Brian Fariñas at full-back or Frenkie de Jong at centre-back, and hinted at possible January transfers. Additionally, Barça announced the closure of the 'grada de animación' fan section for the Alavés match due to disciplinary proceedings following offensive chants and incidents during the Clásico against Madrid.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing