Spanish Media Make Feelings Clear on Lamine Yamal After Damaging PSG Defeat

Spain’s most popular media outlets gave mixed reviews on Lamine Yamal’s performance against Paris Saint-Germain.

Yamal, 18, started in Barcelona’s last-gasp 2-1 loss to 2025 Champions League winners PSG on Wednesday, but struggled to influence the game for the home side despite, as always, putting on a show of dazzling dribbling and ball manipulation.

The teenager will be keen to showcase his talents in this season’s Champions League, having missed out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or to PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé – although Yamal did win the Kopa Trophy, crowning him as the best player under the age of 21.

And despite being arguably one of Barca’s best players while still just 18 years of age, the Spanish press are as ruthless as ever when it comes to their coverage of Barcelona and rivals Real Madrid.

Lamine Yamal in action for Barcelona (Credit:Getty)

Radio Marca issued a harsh stance on Yamal and homed in on the fact he hasn’t won the Ballon d’Or or the Champions League yet, when stating how he “shouldn’t consider himself a star already”.

Meanwhile, AS described how he started like a “star” before adding that he still “has a lot to improve on” despite his obvious talent.

The outlet wrote: “After a great first half, distributing passes and assists like there was no tomorrow, he faded away in the second half, with clumsy play and no ideas. It's clear he still has a lot to improve if he wants to lift the Ballon d'Or next year.”

Catalonia-based Mundo Deportivo were kinder to Yamal but still touched on the fact he found it difficult to “sustain” a high level across the 90 minutes.

And despite not contributing against PSG, the 18-year-old has still registered two goals and four assists in five Barca appearances so far this term as the outfit sit top of La Liga.

After last night’s game, Barca head coach Hansi Flick claimed his side were not on the “same level” as Enrique’s side.

"We could see the level of PSG, and I'm 100% sure we can also play like this,” said Flick.

Hansi Flick was brutally honest (Credit:Getty)

“It's about 90 minutes. The whole team has to defend, attack, use the spaces and be involved in the ball possession.

"You can see in PSG everyone wants the ball, knows how to use the space, play 1v1, 2v1... This is also what we have to learn, we have to get better."

Barca will return to action in La Liga against Sevilla on Sunday, while PSG face Lille in Ligue 1 later that day.