Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has addressed mounting concerns regarding Lamine Yamal's recent form and on-pitch demeanour following a demanding summer schedule.

The German tactician moved to reassure supporters after the 19-year-old winger noticeably lacked his trademark smile during the opening weeks of the 2026/27 La Liga campaign.

Yamal recently returned to the Barcelona starting lineup following a brief three-week holiday.

His truncated break followed an intense summer where he represented Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup immediately after recovering from a significant injury earlier in the year.

Flick acknowledged that Yamal struggled to find his rhythm during Barcelona's season-opening fixtures.

"I know everyone is worried about how is Lamine, how he is doing," Flick told reporters on Sunday.

"And of course, look at his situation; he played a World Cup after a huge injury. Now he's coming back after three weeks holiday, and also the first game maybe was not his best game."

Despite the slow start, Flick expressed satisfaction with Yamal's tactical discipline and overall work rate.

The teenager completed the full 90 minutes during Barcelona's recent 2-0 league victory over Athletic Club on August 27, 2026.

Flick highlighted that extended time on the pitch against the Basque outfit was a crucial step in rebuilding the winger's match fitness.

"He played 90 minutes against Bilbao, and for him at the moment, it's also good to have 90 minutes on the pitch," Flick explained.

The Barcelona manager also dismissed worries surrounding the player's apparent lack of joy on the pitch.

Flick insisted that Yamal's mood remains positive behind the scenes at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.

"Of course, it's always good when the players are smiling, but it's not every day the same day," Flick stated. "I'm also not smiling every day, it's like that."

Flick confirmed he has already witnessed a return to peak form during recent closed-door training sessions.

"We saw him in some situations really on this top level," Flick concluded. "And now, you couldn't see this in the training session today, but I saw it and it was excellent."