Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has addressed mounting concerns regarding Lamine Yamal’s recent form and on-pitch demeanour following a demanding summer schedule.

The German tactician moved to reassure supporters after the 19-year-old winger noticeably lacked his trademark smile during the opening weeks of the 2026/27 La Liga campaign.

Yamal recently returned to the Barcelona starting lineup following a brief three-week holiday.

His truncated break followed an intense summer where he represented Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup immediately after recovering from a significant injury earlier in the year.

Flick acknowledged that Yamal struggled to find his rhythm during Barcelona’s season-opening fixtures.

“I know everyone is worried about how is Lamine, how he is doing,” Flick told reporters on Sunday.

“And of course, look at his situation; he played a World Cup after a huge injury. Now he’s coming back after three weeks holiday, and also the first game maybe was not his best game.”
Despite the slow start, Flick expressed satisfaction with Yamal’s tactical discipline and overall work rate.

The teenager completed the full 90 minutes during Barcelona’s recent 2-0 league victory over Athletic Club on August 27, 2026.

Flick highlighted that extended time on the pitch against the Basque outfit was a crucial step in rebuilding the winger’s match fitness.

“He played 90 minutes against Bilbao, and for him at the moment, it’s also good to have 90 minutes on the pitch,” Flick explained.

The Barcelona manager also dismissed worries surrounding the player’s apparent lack of joy on the pitch.

Flick insisted that Yamal’s mood remains positive behind the scenes at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.

“Of course, it’s always good when the players are smiling, but it’s not every day the same day,” Flick stated. “I’m also not smiling every day, it’s like that.”

Flick confirmed he has already witnessed a return to peak form during recent closed-door training sessions.

“We saw him in some situations really on this top level,” Flick concluded. “And now, you couldn’t see this in the training session today, but I saw it and it was excellent.”

Nigeria Premier Football League champions Rangers International have picked the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta as their temporary home ground and will begin their title defence at the venue against Katsina United on Sunday.

The decision is understood to be due to ongoing renovations at the club’s stadium in Enugu, while the move will also give the Flying Antelopes an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the turf ahead of their CAF Champions League preliminary-round clash against Benin Republic’s AS Sobemap in September.

Rangers and Shooting Stars have selected the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as their home venue for their respective CAF inter-club competition fixtures.

Rangers had earlier reached an agreement with Remo Stars to use the club’s stadium in Ikenne for their CAF Champions League preliminary-round campaign. However, following further consultations with the technical crew led by head coach Fidelis Ilechukwu, the Enugu club opted for the MKO Abiola Sports Arena.

The Flying Antelopes secured their ninth NPFL title in May after defeating Ikorodu City 2-1 in Lagos on the final day of the 2025/26 season.

Their continental campaign is scheduled to begin with the preliminary rounds in September, with the clubs needing to negotiate the qualifying stages before reaching the group phase.

Atletico Madrid have issued a blistering public statement categorically ruling out any possibility of selling Julián Álvarez to Barcelona before the September 1 transfer window deadline.

The fiery declaration from the club arrives in direct response to comments made earlier on Wednesday, August 26, by Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

Laporta publicly detailed the Catalan club’s burning desire to sign the Argentine forward, confirming that a €100 million offer remains on the table.

The Barcelona president implied the Blaugrana have no intention of increasing their valuation and will leave the bid untouched until the window officially closes.

However, Atletico rejected that narration of events, releasing a furious response that accused Barcelona of foul play and manipulation.

“The player is being victimised, but the only victim of the Julián case is us,” the official Atletico statement read.

The Madrid club insisted that the prolonged transfer saga has severely damaged their institution ahead of a crucial domestic campaign.

Atletico made it explicitly clear that no amount of money will convince them to sell a player who famously captured the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina to a rival club.

“They have harmed us economically and socially. There is 0% chance of selling him to Barça,” the club declared. “This situation is not about money; it’s about dignity. There is 0% chance of selling it to Barça.”

The Atletico hierarchy further accused external forces of orchestrating a deliberate media agenda to unsettle the 26-year-old striker.

“There’s a campaign with many lies and half-truths. The only one who pays for this is Atlético,” the statement concluded.

The off-field drama has already begun to severely impact Álvarez’s standing among the passionate Metropolitano faithful.

The forward received a hostile reception from his own supporters when he came off the bench during Sunday’s 2-2 La Liga draw against Villarreal.

The situation reached a new boiling point on Wednesday morning after the Argentine conspicuously missed a scheduled first-team training session.
As the transfer deadline approaches, Atletico’s refusal to negotiate leaves both Álvarez and Barcelona stranded in the transfer market.