Barcelona boss Hansi Flick responds amid reports of ‘double standards’ in disciplinary action taken against Lamine Yamal when compared to Rashford

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has responded to allegations of double standards in disciplinary actions involving Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford. The Englishman joined the Catalans from Manchester United this summer on a season-long loan.

Rashford has been on fire for the LaLiga champions so far, scoring three goals and setting up five more from 10 games in all competitions. However, he was dropped to the bench against Getafe in September as a punishment for being late.

Flick is known for being a strict disciplinarian and also punished Jules Kounde for being late last season. However, alternate reports have stated that Lamine Yamal escaped a punishment for a similar offense this season.

The Spaniard was reportedly late to a team meeting in the build up to the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) game. However, Barcelona hierarchy allegedly forced Flick to include the 18-year-old in the starting XI for the game.

Speaking recently, as cited by The Manchester Evening News, the German manager brushed those rumours aside.

"I'd like to know where you're getting that rumour from. It's b*******. It's not true. At this club, with Deco and the rest of the professionals, I have a real relationship. I believe in my work. I have their trust, and they wouldn't ask us for it. It's rubbish. Whoever said it lied," said Flick.

Barcelona next face Girona on Saturday, October 18, at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

How many goals has Lamine Yamal scored for Barcelona this season?

Lamine Yamal ended all speculation regarding his future over the summer by signing a new deal with Barcelona until 2031. The Spaniard, though, has endured an injury-ravaged start to the new campaign.

Yamal has missed five games already this season due to a groin injury, but has still managed two goals and four assists from five games in all competitions. The teenager is coming off a stunning campaign under Hansi Flick, where he registered 18 goals and 25 assists from 55 games.

Lamine Yamal's efforts helped the Catalans secure a domestic treble, and also saw him finish second behind Ousmane Dembele in the Ballon d'Or race. The youngster, however, won the Kopa Trophy, beating PSG's Desire Doue to the top prize.

Barcelona will be eager to have their prized asset back fit as they prepare for a testing season. Hansi Flick will be determined to get his hands on the Champions League this season, and Yamal remains pivotal to his plans.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over seven years at Sportskeeda. He has written nearly 10000 articles for the website, and has garnered over 21 million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

Know More

Edited by Deepungsu Pandit