Flick not changing Yamal ahead of Elche test
Barcelona need a response to last week's Clasico defeat to Real Madrid in LaLiga, but Hansi Flick is not about to change Lamine Yamal's position ahead of the visit of Elche.
Yamal endured a quiet outing as Barca was beaten 2-1 by its Clasico rival Real Madrid last week, a result that moved Los Blancos five points clear at the top of the table.
The Spain superstar has had a frustrating start to the season, having battled a niggling groin injury. He has only scored once in seven games for club and country since the end of August – the goal coming in a 6-1 UEFA Champions League rout of Olympiacos.
Carles Rexach, who played 450 games for the Blaugrana between 1965 and 1981 and later had a one-year spell as the club's head coach, recently suggested Yamal should follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi and move infield to a number 10 position.
But Flick will not make that change just yet.
"I think, right now, the way to get back to your best version is in your main position," he said of his winger.
"Yes, in some situations and games, he can manage everything when playing inside.
"He's fantastic and can play in different positions. For him, the most important thing is to touch the ball a lot because he can create things."
Elche has made a solid start to the campaign, only losing two of its first 10 games to enter the weekend's action eighth on the table.
Flick has been impressed by its head coach Eder Sarabia and his patient, possession-based approach, saying: "I like how Elche play. They play well as a team, they find solutions.
"We have to follow the gameplan to put pressure on them as we want to. I liked the last two training sessions, and we got [Dani] Olmo and [Robert] Lewandowski back, even if we lost Pedri."
While Olmo and Lewandowski are available after injury lay-offs, Pedri will miss a significant stretch after suffering a hamstring tear.
