
Lamine Yamal Ruled Out of Spain’s World Cup Qualifiers
Injured Lamine Yamal Ruled Out of Spain’s World Cup Qualifiers
Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal will miss Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Georgia and Bulgaria after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, confirmed by the club on Friday.
Yamal is expected to be out for 2 to 3 weeks, making him unavailable for both Spain’s fixtures next week and Barcelona’s domestic clash with Sevilla this Sunday.
Injury Timeline and Setback
Yamal, 18, initially picked up the groin injury while on international duty in September, missing four matches for Barcelona as a result.
-
Returned as a substitute in Barca’s 2-1 La Liga win over Real Sociedad
-
Started against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League
-
Post-PSG, the injury flared up again
Barcelona’s official statement:
“The groin problem for Lamine Yamal has returned following the game against PSG. The player will miss Sunday’s game against Sevilla and his recovery time is estimated at 2-3 weeks.”
Club vs Country Tensions Continue
Yamal’s latest setback reignites an ongoing dispute between Barcelona and the Spanish national team over the management of the teenager’s workload.
After Yamal’s first injury in September, Barça manager Hansi Flick made veiled criticisms toward the Spanish federation:
“Spain have the best team in the world, best players in the world. So maybe they also want to take care of our young players… but it’s like they are doing this [to them].”
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente addressed Flick’s comments on Friday:
“There is no conflict. I was surprised by the German manager’s words, given that he has coached a national team before. I thought he would show more empathy.”
Yamal’s Form Before the Setback
Despite his youth, Yamal has been one of Barcelona’s brightest players this season:
-
5 La Liga appearances
-
2 goals
-
4 assists
His creativity and pace have already made him a key figure at both club and international level, which raises concerns about potential overuse.
What’s Next for Yamal?
The estimated 2-3 week recovery rules Yamal out of:
-
Spain vs Georgia (World Cup Qualifier)
-
Spain vs Bulgaria (World Cup Qualifier)
-
Barcelona vs Sevilla (La Liga)
He will be monitored closely by Barcelona’s medical team, who will likely take a more conservative approach moving forward to avoid any long-term setbacks for their prodigious winger.
There are no comments yet. Be the first to comment!