FC Barcelona is preparing for a key duel in LaLiga this Sunday, February 22, 2026 against Levante UD at the Spotify Camp Nou (previously known as Camp Nou), with the Blaugrana team going through a delicate moment after two consecutive defeats that have set off alarms.

The 4-0 defeat suffered by Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey and the subsequent 2-1 defeat in Montilivi against Girona have left Hansi Flick’s team out of the leadership and with serious doubts about their collective performance. In this context of crisis, an explosive statement from Lamine Yamal has shaken the locker room and has put even more pressure on the German coach.

The young 18-year-old winger, an undisputed figure of the team and one of the most decisive players of the season, has issued a forceful warning in internal conversations that have quickly spread. According to sources close to the club, Yamal was very critical of a teammate and directly demanded that Flick not start him against Levante. His words were clear and harsh: “We are playing with only 10 men every time he is on the field!”

The Spanish midfielder – in reality, Yamal acts as a winger but his influence in the game makes him feel responsible for the entire team – considers that this specific player has become a serious threat to Barça’s aspirations in this final stretch of the season. The criticism points to a footballer who, in recent weeks, has generated defensive imbalances, losses in dangerous areas and a lack of intensity that contrasts with the high-pressing style that Flick successfully implemented last season.

Although the exact name of the accused has not been officially made public to avoid greater internal tensions, the information circulating in the culé environment suggests that Yamal’s criticism is directed towards Eric García. The Catalan centre-back, recently converted into a defensive pivot by Flick to compensate for the absences and poor performance of other midfielders, has not convinced either in training or in recent games.

In the tactical session prior to the clash against Levante, Flick tried Eric as Frenkie de Jong’s partner in the double pivot, but the work did not fully satisfy the group. Doubts about his positioning, his release of the ball under pressure and his ability to recover balls have been recurrent in internal conversations.

Yamal, who has assumed an enormous responsibility this season – with goals, assists and leadership in attack – believes that the presence of this teammate subtracts more than it adds. “We played like we were one less,” the young star repeated in the locker room, according to witnesses. This phrase summarizes the frustration of several players who see how the team, despite their individual talent, suffers in defensive transitions and pressure after losing.

Barça has conceded avoidable goals in recent games precisely due to errors in the midfield and at the back, and Yamal, with his privileged vision from the wing, has been one of the most affected by having to constantly go down and help.

Hansi Flick, aware of the approaching storm, has tried to calm the waters in previous press conferences. The German coach acknowledged that “these are not easy moments” and that “communication is vital.” «You always have to speak at the same level; “Then I make the decisions,” he said, without hiding that he appreciates the concerns of his players. Flick has held long meetings with the locker room – more than an hour in some cases – to make collective self-criticism and look for solutions.

He insisted on recovering intensity, avoiding losses in delicate areas and maintaining the positional order that characterized the team in its best version.

However, the pressure on the coach is growing. After losing the lead and with Real Madrid lurking, a poor performance against Levante – a direct rival in the lower-middle zone but capable of complicating matters – could aggravate the crisis. Flick has made it clear that he will make decisions based on performance and not names, but Yamal’s public intervention adds an ingredient of tension to the atmosphere. The young man, backed by his stellar performance (key goals, impossible dribbles and maturity despite his age), has established himself as an authoritative voice within the group.

On a sporting level, Barça arrives with significant casualties: Pedri continues to recover from muscle problems, and Raphinha is not at 100%. Lewandowski and Ferran Torres need to recover their scoring instincts, while the defense has shown cracks. Levante, for its part, arrives with high morale after positive results at home and will seek to surprise by betting on quick counterattacks.

The expectant Barcelona fans are waiting for an immediate reaction. Yamal, with his warning, has focused on a problem that many see coming: the need for balance. If Flick chooses to keep Eric in the eleven or decides to make drastic changes, the game against Levante will become a litmus test for the cohesion of the dressing room and confidence in the German project.

The Camp Nou, this Sunday, not only expects three points: it expects answers. Lamine Yamal’s shakeup has come at the most inopportune moment… or perhaps the most necessary. Barça’s immediate future depends on how it manages this internal storm.