Barcelona’s 2-2 draw against Celta has revealed a striking pattern: the La Liga leaders have dropped all eight of their lost points this season in games where Lamine Yamal wasn’t in the starting lineup.

The first stumble came in Week 8, when Barça fell 4-2 to Osasuna at El Sadar. That match saw Hansi Flick heavily rotate the squad, leaving Yamal on the bench. While the young star came on for the last 30 minutes and even scored Barça's second goal in the 89th minute, his efforts weren’t enough to avoid defeat.

Yamal missed another key match in Week 13 due to a grade-one ankle injury. Without him, Barcelona struggled to find the net, losing 1-0 to Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena, with Becker’s first-half goal sealing the win for the Basque side.

Most recently, Yamal’s lingering injury sidelined him again for the clash at Balaídos. Despite being 2-0 up with just ten minutes to go, Barcelona crumbled, allowing Celta to equalize and snatch a point. The numbers don’t lie: when Lamine Yamal starts, Barça is perfect, winning all 11 matches he’s played in La Liga this season. His absence seems to leave a gaping hole in the squad—a clear indication of just how vital the 19-year-old has become for the Blaugrana.