Hansi Flick told to make key Lamine Yamal change for Barcelona’s second leg against Atletico

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has received direct advice to reposition teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal ahead of next week’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at Atletico Madrid, where his side must overturn a 2-0 deficit to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

With Raphinha still unavailable and both Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres misfiring in front of goal, Flick’s attacking options are severely limited. Former Barcelona academy standout Jean Marie Dongou, speaking on Gerard Romero’s Fanzone show, argued that Yamal’s current wide role limits the team’s comeback potential.

“I think we can come back. I trust because we have Lamine Yamal, so I trust to turn it around,” Dongou said. “He can’t play close to the wing. He has to start playing inside. He stagnates playing there on the wing. He [Flick] has to look for solutions. If Lamine Yamal plays on the wing, there will be no options for a comeback.”

While Flick has occasionally deployed Yamal through the centre this season, the 17-year-old has more frequently been stationed on the right flank. The final decision on whether to heed Dongou’s counsel will be revealed when the teamsheet is released at the Metropolitano.

Barcelona’s shock home defeat in the first leg has left them requiring what would be a memorable turnaround in the Spanish capital to secure passage to the competition’s last four.