In the last few weeks, the FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has seen himself getting embroiled in several controversies. The latest has been that of his celebration after Ronald Araujo celebrated the winning goal against Girona in the last league match.
Before that, another notable action that kept him in the headlines was his criticism of the Spanish national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, for his handling of Lamine Yamal.
The young forward suffered a problem while on international duty with the Spanish national team, and there were reports that de la Fuente had played him despite knowing about his physical problems.
De la Fuente had previously responded to Flick’s comments, but as reported by Mundo Deportivo, he has once again addressed the issue, expressing his surprise at the German coach’s remarks. Speaking on the television program El Hormiguero, the Spain manager said:
“I didn’t understand it, because he himself has also been a national team coach. In the end, everyone is judged by their actions. Sometimes I also don’t understand the stance taken by clubs. All players want to be with the national team.”
He went on to say, “There’s a schedule — you know how many matches you’re going to play. What doesn’t make sense is to complain in November and then say everything’s fine when the year restarts. There are many games, and for the players it’s demanding.”
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona celebrates his teams second goal scored by Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona (not pictured) during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images
The ongoing exchange between the two coaches highlights the delicate balance between club and country, especially when it comes to managing the workload of superstars like Lamine Yamal.
Both Flick and De la Fuente want the best for their respective teams, but they also share the responsibility of protecting one of the brightest talents in world football.
The youngster himself would be driven to play as much as possible, but both of these managers need to take responsibility to ensure they do not overuse the Barcelona star, especially keeping in view his youth.