Filic hopes to play Yamal against Valencia

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick hopes that young star Lamine Yamal will be ready to face Valencia in the fourth round of La Liga on Sunday, after suffering a bruise.

Yamal, 19, did not train with his teammates and instead completed a separate session at the training center.

Flick said, “We have to decide whether it is better for (Yamal) to rest or to start the match. I will speak with him and we will make the decision.”

Flick added, “He took a hit and was feeling some pain, so we said it was better for him to train separately.”

The World Cup winner with Spain had shone in the 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano, scoring his first two goals of the season.

Brazilian newcomer Gabriel Jesus is likely to start on the bench, with his compatriot Raphinha continuing as the central striker, after scoring five goals in three matches while playing out of his usual position.

Other matches in the round include Alavés vs. Osasuna, Málaga vs. Levante, and Espanyol vs. Sevilla.

In the opening fixture of the round, Real Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season under Portuguese manager José Mourinho at the La Cartuja stadium, after missing several key chances, most notably a penalty kick by their French striker Kylian Mbappé in stoppage time.

Betis secured their victory thanks to a goal from substitute Troy Parrott in the 81st minute, denying Mourinho’s side their first win at the Andalusian club’s ground in La Liga since 2021, following three draws and one loss.

After the match, Mourinho said, “The team played a great match. Sometimes you lose and you can’t explain why.” He added, “We were really in control, created many attacking opportunities, and had several chances. If the match had ended in a draw, we would have felt frustrated, so imagine how we feel after the loss.”

When asked about the events in the final minutes, including the disallowed goal by Carlos Espí and Mbappé’s missed penalty, the Portuguese manager refused to be drawn into a debate over refereeing decisions.

The capital’s other powerhouse, Atlético Madrid, fared no better than their neighbors, suffering their first defeat of the season with a heavy 3-0 loss to hosts Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in the round’s climax.

Argentine striker Julián Álvarez came on as a substitute after an hour, after his transfer to Barcelona fell through, in an attempt to rescue Atlético from trouble, amid boos from his own fans.