Overview

• Lamine Yamal, newly wearing Barcelona’s No. 10, drew public backing from Hansi Flick, who called the 18-year-old “fantastic” and said he will guide his development.
• Yamal opened LaLiga with an assist and a stoppage-time goal in the 3-0 win at Mallorca as he assumed primary creative duties on the right flank.
• Flick said he is unconcerned by outside criticism and described Yamal’s day-to-day behavior as very good in training and matches.
• A disability-rights group has threatened legal action over reports that people with dwarfism were hired to entertain at Yamal’s 18th-birthday party, keeping scrutiny of the player in the spotlight.
• Looking ahead to Levante, Flick indicated Robert Lewandowski could return and compete with Ferran Torres at center forward, with Marcus Rashford also an option, and he expects registration issues to be resolved next week.