Lamine Yamal has revealed he has not felt good this season but says he is finally enjoying football again after scoring the first hat trick of his career in Barcelona‘s 4-1 win over Villarreal in LaLiga on Saturday.
Yamal struck twice in the first half at Spotify Camp Nou and again after the break to become the first 18-year-old to net a treble in the Spanish top flight since 1967.
However, speaking after the game, he said he has struggled to get going for a number of reasons during the current campaign, before adding that he now feels better heading into the final stretch of the season.
«I didn’t feel great [earlier this season],» Yamal told Movistar. «There was the [groin] problem and, generally, I wasn’t happy. It was a mix of many things. You could tell.
«I have felt a lot better for a week or so now. I am smiling when I am playing, which wasn’t the case for a while, and I am happy on the pitch.»
Despite those issues, Yamal has still been one of Barça’s better performers this season and, after Saturday’s hat trick, he is their top scorer with 18 goals in 34 matches all competitions.
That matches his total across the whole of last season — in 21 fewer games — and his treble against Villarreal was the first scored by an 18-year-old in Spain’s top flight since 1967.
Only two players have ever registered a hat trick at a younger age, although you have to go back nearly 100 years to find them: José Iraragorri aged 17 years and 337 days in 1930 and Pombo aged 18 years and 200 days 1934.
«I’m scoring more goals all the time,» he added. «At 16 people already want you to score 100 goals already and it’s difficult … I want to score more as well, but it’s not always possible.»
Asked about the issues which have prevented Yamal enjoying his football this season, Barça coach Hansi Flick pointed out a change in how defenders mark him.
«The opponent sometimes they play two or three players against him,» Flick said. «You could feel he had not the confidence at times, the dynamic for this one against one situation.
«I am happy for today, it has to give him confidence, and when he enjoys playing, it’s perfect for him and also for us.»
Yamal’s first goal came after being fed by Fermín López, with his second a brilliant strike after dribbling past two Villarreal players.
Pape Geuye brought Villarreal back into the match before Yamal restored Barça’s two-goal lead, with substitute Robert Lewandowski completing the scoring late on.
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The win takes Barça four points clear of Real Madrid — who host Getafe on Monday — but the Catalan side now turn their attention to the Copa del Rey when they welcome Atlético Madrid in the second leg of their semifinal.
Atlético won the first leg 4-0, leaving Barça with a mountain to climb, but Flick says with Yamal in this type of form, anything is possible.
«I think everyone saw his performance today,» he added. «The first [goal] he needed to come into the game and what happens after that was exceptional.
«Lamine on this level is fantastic for us. We need him on this level on Tuesday. This is what I want to see.»
