Pakistan, April 9 -- Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he would defend teenage star Lamine Yamal against criticism for his occasional "emotional" outbursts, ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atletico Madrid.

The 18-year-old winger did not celebrate Barca's late winner in the 2-1 victory at Atletico in La Liga on Saturday that took the Catalans seven points clear at the top of the table. Yamal was visibly irritated, with Spanish media reporting it was because a member of the Barcelona coaching staff admonished him from the sidelines for shooting when he could have passed. The Spain international has also shown his anger at being substituted by Flick in the past, and the coach said he would back Yamal reg...