BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona coach Hansi Flick downplayed Lamine Yamal's reaction to being substituted late in the team's 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Yamal was replaced by Roony Bardghji in the 89th minute of the league-phase game. He walked off with a serious expression and appeared to be complaining to himself. He also didn't look happy after getting back to the bench.
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Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick looks on his watch after the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Jules Kounde scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Jules Kounde scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
“We changed Lamine with a few minutes to go because he was booked and it was late,” Flick said. "If he was a bit annoyed, then I fully understand and I like it. I was a player too. It’s fully acceptable, not a problem.”
Yamal was shown a yellow card in the 56th minute for a foul and will miss the team's next Champions League match.
His cross led to Jules Koundé's second goal in the 53rd to give Barcelona the come-from-behind victory after the visitors had gone ahead in the 21st. Koundé also scored in the 50th.
The 18-year-old Yamal has produced more goal involvements — assists and goals — than any other player aged under 19 in Champions League history from group stage or league phase to final, according to UEFA. He has 14 — seven goals and seven assists. That is one more than Kylian Mbappé’s previous record of 13 — 10 goals and three assists.
"It’s great to have Jules scoring ... his talent and his mentality are so important,” Flick said.
Koundé said it was “fun” to be able to make many forays into the attack on Tuesday.
“My first job is to defend well so I have to keep a balance,” he said. “And there are games when we play against a back five — today Frankfurt were very deep, so you have to attack the spaces in behind, which is what I tried to do. I had success with those two goals.”
It was the fifth consecutive match in which Barcelona conceded first. It rallied to victories in its last four games.
The victory moved Barcelona to 14th place, two points from the eighth spot in the competition’s league phase.
Flick said he was “really happy how we come back,” but added “sometimes it would also be good to start well and score the first goal. It is what it is.””
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barcelona's head coach Hansi Flick looks on his watch after the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Jules Kounde scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Jules Kounde scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Closer Edwin Díaz has agreed to a $69 million, three-year contract with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Díaz's agreement includes deferred payments by the Dodgers, who already owed $1.051 billion in deferred pay to eight players from 2028-46.
“The Dodgers are the Goliath and they went and got something that they really, really needed,” said agent Scott Boras, who does not represent Díaz. “I’m sure that there was a goal on the part of the player that he felt that maybe he could achieve his goals differently with the Dodgers than he could with the Mets. ... Right now in our industry when a Goliath snaps his fingers, he seems to be getting what he wants.”
A three-time All-Star who turns 32 on March 22, Díaz joins a Dodgers bullpen that struggled last season, causing the team to shift rookie starter Roki Sasaki to closer in the postseason. Los Angeles relievers had a 4.27 ERA, 21st among the 30 teams.
Relying on a 97-98 mph fastball and slider, Díaz became a fan favorite at Citi Field, where horns blared and fans danced when he entered games to “Narco” by Blasterjaxx & Timmy Trumpet.
'Since the deal is not official, I can’t comment on it. I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “We certainly have work to do, but there are many good players out there. I’m confident we’ll like where our team is once we get to opening day.”
New York prepared for Díaz's possible departure by agreeing to a $51 million, three-year contract with Devin Williams, who left the crosstown Yankees after one season.
“I’ve certainly seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time,” Stearns said. “Have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that.”
Signing Williams may have impacted the Mets' approach to Díaz.
“Once you add to a certain part of your team, that will change the calculus and how you look at your team in general,” Stearns said.
Díaz joins a Dodgers bullpen that includes left-hander Tanner Scott, who was bothered by elbow inflammation in his first season after signing a $72 million, four-year contract. Jack Dreyer, Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia also are in the bullpen.
Díaz had 28 saves in 31 chances last season with a 6-3 record and 1.63 ERA for a disappointing Mets team that failed to reach the playoffs despite spending the second-most behind the Dodgers. He struck out 98 in 66 1/3 innings.
He has 253 saves in 294 chances over nine seasons with the Seattle (2016-18) and the Mets, who acquired him along with second baseman Robinson Canó for five players that included Jarred Kelenic and Anthony Swarzak. Díaz missed the 2023 season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee during a postgame celebration with Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic.
Díaz agreed to a $102 million, five-year contract with the Mets after the 2022 season, a deal that included deferred money payable through 2042. He had the right to opt out after three years and $64 million to become a free agent again. Of that $64 million, $15.5 million is deferred and payable through July 1, 2039.
New York has lost two significant players from the roster that helped it reach the 2024 NL Championship Series. The Mets traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo to Texas.
First baseman Pete Alonso, who has been meeting with teams at the winter meetings, is a free agent and it remains uncertain whether he will remain with New York.
AP freelance writer Kristie Ackert contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - New York Mets' Edwin Díaz (39) pitches during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
FILE - New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts at the end of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
