Stats after Barcelona’s win over Mallorca further highlight Lamine Yamal dependency

Following Barcelona’s big win over Mallorca, Lamine Yamal has again shown himself to be the most decisive and influential player in LaLiga. This isn’t just the opinion of many fans; it’s backed by hard data.

What is Barcelona’s record with Lamine Yamal starting?

The most telling statistic is that with the young winger in the starting lineup, Barça have won every game: 12 starts, 12 wins. All of the Catalans' poor results in LaLiga - three losses (to Osasuna, Real Sociedad and Las Palmas) and a draw (against Celta) - occurred when the teenager was either absent or started on the bench. Clearly, this statistic highlights the team’s heavy reliance on Yamal.

His influence on the game extends well beyond his goals (5) and assists (8). His presence on the field gives the team unpredictability, versatility and width on the right wing, forcing opponents back and making it nearly impossible for them to reach Iñaki Peña’s goal.

Yamal absence helps Real Madrid close LaLiga gap

At just 17 years old, Yamal is now the cornerstone of coach Hansi Flick’s project. His brief absence due to a right ankle injury coincided with the worst run of form since the German coach arrived, which has led to Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid significantly cutting the gap at the top of the LaLiga table.

Yamal’s value isn’t only in what he does himself on the field, but also in how he elevates his teammates’ performances. Right-back Jules Koundé is a different player without the young attacker, and Robert Lewandowski had one of his worst games of the season against Las Palmas without him.

The risk with having such an extraordinary talent in the squad is the potential for an over-reliance that’s hard to manage. If he’s already at the top of the pyramid at 17, what will happen in two or three years? Such level of exposure is a concern within the club, as it could become a heavy burden for such a young player.

As it stands, only Raphinha and Pedri have managed to step up in Yamal’s absence. The rest of the Barcelona squad have seen their performances dip for various reasons. Some, like Koundé, have seen a significant drop in form, with his critical error against Celta being a prime example, while others, like Lewandowski, have struggled for goalscoring consistency.

Yamal’s influence on Barça extends to Champions League

And if the dependence on Yamal in LaLiga is clear, the same trend continues in the Champions League. The only exception was the match against Monaco, where Barcelona lost 2-1 with Yamal in the starting lineup. However, it’s important to note two key points from that game: first, Flick’s team played for almost 80 minutes with a numerical disadvantage due to Eric García’s early red card, and second, Yamal scored Barcelona’s goal.

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Original article written by Javier Miguel, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Roddy Cons.