JAKARTA - Wing player Lamine Yamal unexpectedly did not play as a starter when Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 5-0 in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final. This made coach Hansi Flick rotate the players.
Without Yamal and Marcus Rashford, Barca's front line relied on Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Roony Bardghji in the match at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, January 8, 2026 WIB. They supported Ferran Torres who became the centre forward.
Different formations but it didn't change Barca's performance. They still look good when playing offensive football. As a result, the players contributed goals. Even Raphinha scored a brace in the match which brought Barca to a landslide victory of five goals and qualified for the final to face Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
Yamal himself only played in the second half in a duel with another Spanish LaLiga team. In fact, he replaced Bardghji in the 72nd minute when Barca had already scored five times against Athletic.
It is not without reason if Flick does not put Yamal as a starter in the crucial match. According to him, Yamal is in a bad condition that caused the player not to attend training last Tuesday. Because he couldn't undergo a training session, the Spanish national team player didn't make the starting line-up in the match against Athletic.
"He has been feeling unwell for the last few days. As a result, he couldn't train. That's why he didn't make the starting line-up. But he's fine, I'm fine," Flick said as quoted by Sport Mole.
Even though he didn't start, Flick still prepared Yamal for the match. "I spoke to him after lunch. He said he was fine. If we really need him, he will still be played," said the former German national team coach.
Flick also has not confirmed whether Yamal will return to the bench or be the first choice in the Spanish Super Cup or Supercopa de Espana finals.
The 18-year-old remains a pillar of Barca this season. He played excellently by scoring nine goals and making 11 assists from 22 appearances in various competitions.
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