Barcelona fear attacker is involved in wrong social circles that could cause unwanted distractions: Reports
Barcelona fear that young forward Lamine Yamal is involved in the wrong social circles and this could really hinder the upward trajectory of his blossoming career. There is a feeling among the top brass at the club that the characters that he is surrounded by are not ideal for his development, Bar Canaletes reports.
Yamal had his first taste of first-team football in the 2022-23 season, coming on as a substitute against Real Betis in the 83rd minute of a 4-0 Barca win. However, he has really announced himself this season, becoming an integral part of manager Xavi's plans going forward.
The youngster has made 25 appearances for Barcelona this season, scoring once and assisting four times. Yamal also earned a call-up to the Spanish national team, already bagging two goals in four caps including a goal on debut against Georgia.
At 16, Yamal has a bright career in front of him and is expected to become one of the best players of this generation. However, things seem to have taken a turn for the worse as the youngster has only started three games in the last two months for Barcelona.
This could be due to the concerns that the Barca executives have regarding Yamal's involvement with distractive entities.
Yamal was not eligible for the Blaugrana's Round of 32 clash against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey due to a suspension carrying over from the youth version of the tournament. He has also had some disciplinary issues during his time with the Spain U-17 squad, which got him dropped.
If the reports are to be believed, Yamal really needs to remain focused on his development to reach his true potential.
Bayern-linked Barcelona defender Araujo: "We have a great group and team"
Barca defender Ronald Araujo, who has been heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich, addressed the media about the upcoming Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Osasuna on January 11.
Talking about his passion for Barcelona and wearing the captain's armband, Araujo said (via the club's official website):
"I always want to give my all when I put on the FC Barcelona jersey. I am aware of the responsibility that comes with wearing this club's captain's armband, it makes me proud. I try to help the team and encourage when things aren't going that well."
Delivering his assessment of the side's recent performances, he added:
"We lack a bit more resolve in both areas to close out games earlier. However, we have top-quality players. We are working on correcting the defensive mistakes. Getting back to a certain level at the back is very important as we won trophies that way last year."
Bayern are reportedly willing to pay up to €70 million, or even offer an exchange for a top-quality player like Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Kimmich, to acquire Araujo's services (via GOAL). However, Araujo is clearly only focused on Barcelona's task at hand, which is to win the Spanish Super Cup.