Lamine Yamal says he is prepared to become a rotation player for Barcelona if head coach Hansi Flick decides that is the right role for him.
The 19-year-old Spain winger has started all four of Barcelona’s La Liga matches so far this season and has scored four goals. Despite that strong beginning, Yamal has indicated that he would accept a place among the substitutes if Flick believes a different selection is best for the team.
Yamal’s comments address his position within Flick’s squad at a time when he has been a regular presence in Barcelona’s starting XI. The forward has featured from the opening whistle in each of the club’s four league games, scoring once in every match to date.
His willingness to accept a rotational role means he has placed the manager’s decision-making above his own established position in the team. However, the available record of Barcelona’s opening four league fixtures shows Yamal has been selected consistently and has made a significant contribution in front of goal.
Barcelona’s next match is scheduled for 9 September, when they will face Feyenoord in the Champions League. The fixture will provide another opportunity for Flick to decide whether Yamal continues in the starting line-up or is used as a substitute.
For now, the winger’s league record remains one of the clearest indicators of his importance to Barcelona at the beginning of the current campaign. He has played in all four of the club’s matches in the Spanish championship and has scored four times.
Flick retains responsibility for determining how Yamal is used, with the player making clear that he is ready to follow the coach’s decision. That could mean continuing as a starter or accepting a reduced role as part of the squad’s rotation.
The issue is therefore not whether Yamal has delivered in the league so far. His four goals in four appearances underline his immediate impact. Instead, the focus is on whether Flick considers regular selection or rotation to be the best approach for the Barcelona winger.
Barcelona will meet Feyenoord in their next Champions League game on 9 September. Yamal’s role in that match will be decided by Flick, following the player’s statement that he is willing to be a substitute if required.