'He makes the difference' - Lamine Yamal singled out for special praise by Barcelona boss Hansi Flick after showing 'great quality' in Mallorca rout

Yamal made a triumphant return to the pitch on Tuesday night, showcasing his brilliance during a commanding 5-1 victory over Mallorca. The 17-year-old had been sidelined for nearly a month due to an ankle injury sustained during a Champions League clash against Red Star on November 6, but showed no signs of rust at Son Moix.

In Yamal's absence, Flick’s side managed only one point from three matches, which led to their comfortable nine-point lead over Real Madrid being reduced to just a single point. However, his return to the starting XI against Mallorca proved to be a game-changer. Yamal won a crucial penalty, which Raphinha confidently converted to put Barcelona ahead 2-1. Later, Yamal delivered an exquisite outside-of-the-boot pass to set up Raphinha for his second goal of the evening.

Flick’s trust in Yamal has been evident throughout the season, and his remarks following the Mallorca match only reinforced the belief that the youngster is a cornerstone of Barcelona’s future.

"He's always important," Flick told reporters. "He makes the difference. He could have scored one or two goals. He played very well, he assisted... he has great quality. We need him."

Barcelona now set their sights on their next La Liga assignment against Real Betis on Saturday. With Yamal back in action and performing at his best, the Catalan giants will look to solidify their position at the top of the league standings and continue their pursuit of domestic and European success.