“I think that is the next step” - Marco van Basten explains why Barcelona must change Lamine Yamal’s position

Netherlands legend Marco van Basten has explained why Barcelona must change Lamine Yamal's position following their 4-3 loss to Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, May 6. The former Ballon d'Or winner believes the 17-year-old would be more influential in a central role.

Barcelona's hopes of winning the treble this season crashed at San Siro. Following a 3-3 draw in Spain, the Blaugrana suffered a 4-3 defeat in the second leg, losing 7-6 on aggregate.

Lamine Yamal was one of the best performers, but failed to get on the scoresheet in the second leg. Speaking in the wake of that result, Marco van Basten urged the Catalan giants to consider moving the 17-year-old from the right wing to a more central role. The Dutchman told Ziggo Sport (via Metro).

"It’s actually a shame that he plays there, because he doesn’t get the ball enough. Of course he is a constant threat on the right. But if he plays in the centre, he has much more influence on the game and he can mean even more to the team. And I think that is the next step."

"He can score goals, give crosses, put people in front of the goal. We know that by now. The next step should be: what is his influence on the team in the end? Such a good player should play much more in the centre of the field," he added.

Lamine Yamal has bagged 15 goals and 24 assists for Barcelona in 51 appearances across all competitions so far this season. That includes five goals and four assists in 13 Champions League games.

What next for Lamine Yamal and Barcelona?

Following their exit in the Champions League, Lamine Yamal and Barcelona will now switch their attention to LaLiga. They still have four games left to play in the division, with the possibility of completing a domestic double.

Up next, they will face Real Madrid in the league at the Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys on Sunday, May 11, before locking horns with Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Thursday. They'll then wrap up their season by facing Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao in their last two games on May 18 and 25, respectively.

As it stands, the Catalan giants sit at the summit of the table with 79 points from 34 games, four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Hansi Flick's men have recorded 25 wins, four draws and five defeats so far, scoring 91 goals and conceding 33.