Barcelona coach Hansi Flick says Lamine Yamal will be more determined to succeed after missing out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
The 18-year-old winger finished second behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele at the award ceremony in Paris on Monday but won the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Flick said he was pleased with Yamal’s reaction to the result.
“I spoke with him yesterday, and I think he sees it the right way, so it’s for him also motivation for the next years,” Flick said.
“Dembele, he deserved it also. It’s a vote and a lot of things can happen, and I think he accepted this in a good way, and he’s motivated to show it this season. Maybe next season he also will be an option for the Ballon d’Or.”
The German coach added that having several Barcelona players considered for top awards showed the strength of the team. “It’s great for our team. It shows a lot how your last season was, and this is also our goal for this season,” he said.
Yamal played a key role last season as Barcelona won a domestic treble — La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup.
However, the teenager will miss Thursday’s away match against Real Oviedo due to a groin injury. Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Levante on Tuesday pushed them five points ahead of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Last season, Barcelona struggled without Yamal, but they have beaten Valencia and Getafe in recent games despite his absence. Flick said the team is prepared to cope.
“I’m really happy. I never think about which player we are missing, I only focus on the team we have. Which players are the options for being in the starting XI… I’m happy with my team. Every starting XI can win matches. It’s not a big problem,” Flick said.
Meanwhile, midfielder Gavi is out for four to five months after knee surgery on Tuesday. The 21-year-old had previously missed nearly a year with a ligament injury in November 2023.
“We have to take care of him, we have to go step by step, because he is 21 years old and he has a huge career in the next 10 to 15 years,” Flick said.
“He’s a player with a big heart, a lot of emotion. He lives for this club, and I’m really happy to have him on my team. Of course, we are waiting until he’s back. It’s not easy for this team because he has huge quality for us, but everyone will support him to reach his level again.”
