Barcelona's plan with 15-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal is the main focus of Barça's Juvenil A team (U19s). At just 15 years old, and after having participated in several training sessions with the first team, the club is taking care of his development. His goal is not to go too fast, but at the same time put it in a context that forces him to improve. That was how it was decided he should go directly from Cadet A (U16s) to Juvenile A, despite his age.

With this type of playr, who are well above the level of their age group, the aim is always to take them out of their comfort zone. Even more so with the case of Yamal, who due to physical development, is ready to compete with older players. This has become clear at the start of the season, where he has already scored two goals and is gaining more and more prominence. “He is always asking questions and he has a very good predisposition to evolve. You have to treat him calmly and not rush thing, ”said the Juvenil A coach, Óscar López.

In the first five official games for Juvenil A, the striker has participated in four, but not always as a starter. In the last two league games, he has been in the starting XI, but not in the Youth League, where he has more competition. In the European competition, several players from the B team drop down, sich as Ilias, Txus Alba, Chadi Riad, Marc Casadó and Àlex Valle.

Lamine participated in the victory against Viktoria Plzen (3-0) and the draw against Bayern (3-3) coming out in the second half. The presence of Ilias, who plays in the same position, makes it difficult for him to have minutes as a right winger, the position where he has made the most difference in the lower age groups.

The coaches have looked for alternatives and are testing him in other positions, as a left winger or even as a false nine as in the last game against Grama (2-2), where Juvenil A dropped their first points in the league.

Yamal had his most outstanding performance in the victory against Ebro (5-0) on Sept. 10, scoring two goals, demonstrating his ability to shoot with his first touch. So far, one of the most surprising things is his maturity and understanding of the game. Despite being a player with sublime technique, he does not play to adorn himself. His actions always make sense to find solutions.

Another very outstanding aspect is the pausa that he has in situations near the area. He never seems to go to the limit: he controls the timing of the play well. There are elements to improve, such as defensive intensity when pressing. Lamine still has no consistency in this regard.

Born in 2007, he has already made his debut in the Youth League, becoming the youngest player in history to participate in this competition for Barça, and scored two goals on his full league debut with Juvenil A. Figures that highlight the precocity of a talent that points to the elite. At Barça, at the moment, they are going slowly but steadily with the best attacking project at La Masia.

One of the club's great challenges will come when he turns 16, when he can sign his first professional contract. An always complicated scenario with footballers with his potential. Lamine will surely have proposals that will force Barça and the player himself to have to make important decisions in his career.