Not all games will be this easy, but give credit where it’s due, Barcelona were too much for Mallorca on La Liga’s opening day.
In large part, they have Lamine Yamal to blame. No surprise there. All attention was on the teenage sensation, who looks determined at the moment to take his game to even greater heights.
To be fair, Johan Mojica worked hard defending the right wing, but it’s not a job any one man can do on their own. As a team, Mallorca were a mess, and as a result, Lamine and company made the game look like a training exercise. The outcome was never in doubt.
(Photo by JAIME REINA / AFP)
(Photo by JAIME REINA / AFP)
AFP via Getty Images
The referee made a bad call in letting the game play on after a blatant head injury, but Mallorca looked like amateurs in not playing to the whistle. Barcelona capitalized, but they didn’t need any help on the day, because their opponents were not in the right headspace from the get-go.
Lamine’s assist to Raphinha to open the scoring was sublime. Cutting back on his left foot to play a looping ball over the top to the on-running Brazilian, who did on the play what made him so successful a year ago with a clever run off the ball. You can see what Lamine wants to do from a mile away, but you still can’t stop it.
His empathic goal in the last minute of the game was simply the cherry on top of a performance that announced to the world that he is on his way to becoming a perennial Ballon d’Or talent.
In between, the kid just had fun. There’s never a sense of pressure. Instead, every touch of the ball is a delightful opportunity to make music. Lamine Yamal is pure entertainment.
(Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)
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From the looks of it, he’ll have a partner in arms in Raphinha once again.
But the center forward and number ten positions look up for grabs. Perhaps, at least for the moment, Hansi Flick is OK with that.
Ferran Torres and Fermín López were selected against Mallorca. But next weekend, it could very well be Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo. Even Robert Lewandowski isn’t a lock when he returns. Healthy, internal competition, could be the formula that propels Barca to success over the course of the long campaign ahead of them.
Lamine Yamal and Pedri are probably the only two untouchables at the moment.
The funny thing about Lamine, however, is that as good as he is, you get the sense that we really haven’t seen anything yet. Especially when it comes to the final ball.
(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Right now, he’s a creative genius, but he hasn’t yet discovered what it means to be ruthless. If he does, we could easily see him put up the kind of numbers that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were capable of in their golden years. Especially under a coach like Flick, who is an attacking football specialist.
Football fans, this season, you really can’t take your eyes off Barcelona.
Lamine Yamal is the present and future of the beautiful game. It’s his world, we Barca fans are just here to enjoy the party.