Roony Bardghji’s role shrinks as Lamine Yamal locks down the right flank

Roony Bardghji arrived at Barcelona as one of Deco’s more unexpected signings, and while he’s had a few standout moments this season—most notably his goal against Betis at La Cartuja and his strike in the Supercopa against Athletic Club—his presence has steadily faded over the past month.

The issue is simple: he and Lamine Yamal occupy the same space. Bardghji is a natural right winger, and that spot only opens up when Barça’s No. 10 isn’t on the field. Lately, that almost never happens. When Lamine is fully fit, he plays every minute.

Hansi Flick has experimented with Bardghji on the left, but it’s clearly not where he feels most comfortable. He prefers receiving the ball at his feet rather than running into space, and his best moves come when he cuts inside to look for a shooting lane.

Unlike Raphinha—who eventually adapted to a different role—Bardghji doesn’t have the same burst or ability to repeatedly attack open space. His game is built more on control and dribbling than on high‑intensity sprints.

The numbers tell the story

Bardghji has logged just 529 minutes this season. He didn’t play in 16 of the 35 matches for which he was available, and in 10 of the 19 games where he did appear, he played fewer than 15 minutes. In total, 529 minutes of playing time across four competitions. That’s extremely limited action for a 20‑year‑old who needs consistent playing time to grow.

And that leads to the big question: what comes next?

Bardghji is under contract until 2029, and even with his limited minutes, Barça has put him in the shop window. This summer, he’ll have a decision to make: either stay at Barcelona, expand his tactical range, and try to earn minutes in positions beyond Lamine’s, or accept the experience he has gained at Barça and move to a club where he can establish himself as a regular starter.

What’s certain is that the club will take a hard look at his situation in June. Signed for just $2.8 million, his market value has already climbed to around $11 million.

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