Yamal not worried by Flick's fears that "egos" will undermine Barça

Lamine Yamal is not concerned by his coach Hansi Flick's fears that "egos" could undermine Barcelona this season, and said that any player who doesn't want to win the Ballon d'Or "is lying."

Flick expressed concerns about the potential of player egos setting the defending LaLiga champions back atter a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

"I don't want egos," Flick said in his postmatch press conference. "Egos kill success. Last year we were a team, and we must continue to be that way."

Yamal, however, said Flick's comments were in the heat of the moment and placed no importance on them.

"This is what each one thinks," Yamal told Spain's RTVE. "After a draw, you are heated because in the end, you have to win. But I don't think it has anything to do with that. We have taken seven points of a possible nine in difficult stadiums.

"We haven't played at home yet. I don't believe it has anything to do with that but rather it wasn't our game. We didn't start with the right intensity. It's true we made lots of mistakes but it can happen. We just have to recover our level as soon as possible and we ready for the next game."

Yamal, who turned 18 in July, is already a star for Barça -- winning LaLiga and the Copa del Rey last season -- and for Spain's national team, was part of the side that won Euro 2024.

He finished eighth in the 2024 edition of the Ballon d'Or, and is a contender to win the award outright later this year and has said he dreams of taking the award home.

"Obviously every player wants to win the Ballon d'Or, and anyone who says they don't is lying," he said.

"Being there [shortlisted] at 18, I think is something to be valued, and I hope it happens. We want to win the Champions League. Both [the Ballon d'Or award and Champions League] are both a dream. Especially the Champions League for Barcelona would be incredible.

"I already had a good season last year with the national team and as a Barça player, being a starter and playing with confidence. I'm really excited about what this season will bring. There's a World Cup, and that's always on the calendar, and I'm really looking forward to it all."

Yamal, meanwhile, says he remains unfazed by external criticism following his meteoric success.

- Yamal, Saka, Salah: Why left-footed right wingers are so hot right now
- Disney+ to show primetime LaLiga games in UK and Ireland
- LaLiga 2025-26 big questions: Barcelona, Real Madrid, title

The Spain international recently faced public criticism for reportedly hiring dwarfs as part of the entertainment in his gangster-themed 18th birthday party on July 13.

"The truth is that it doesn't affect me," he said.

"I've realised that everything that happens in my life will be talked about, and in many occasions, made up because things have happened in my life that I didn't know about. I don't care much. In the end, I already said it when I signed my new contract, for both the good and the bad, I only listen to my circle.

"They are the ones who truly know things and what matters. I continue on my path, I continue with my mentality, which I believe is what has brought me here."

Yamal has scored two goals and set up three more in Barcelona's opening three league games.

"The hardest thing is to win again after having already won it," Yamal said regarding LaLiga.

"But we're a young squad that hasn't just won four leagues in a row. We always want more."