Barcelona’s injury list has grown longer again, and this time it’s their teenage star who has been hit.
Lamine Yamal has suffered a repeat groin problem after the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, leaving the club sweating over his availability.
The 18-year-old forward had only just returned from the sidelines, having already missed three weeks earlier this season with the same issue.
His latest setback means he is ruled out of Sunday’s La Liga game against Sevilla and will also skip Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria.
The club confirmed the news on Friday, releasing a short statement: “The discomfort in the pubic area that player Lamine Yamal has been experiencing has reappeared after the match against PSG. He will be out for the Sevilla game, and the estimated recovery time is 2-3 weeks.”
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A growing problem between club and country over Lamine Yamal
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This injury also reopens the ongoing tension between Barcelona and the Spanish Football Federation.
Manager Hansi Flick has already accused Spain of poor player management, claiming Yamal was rushed into action with painkillers last month.
Sporting director Deco has since held talks with federation officials to smooth communication, but the latest blow will only add to the friction.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was quick to defend his staff.
Responding to Flick’s frustration, he said: “I was simply surprised by those statements because he was a national team coach, and I believed he had that empathy… We’re playing for the World Cup, that’s what’s really important. The rest isn’t important.”
For Barcelona, though, the timing couldn’t be worse. Yamal has been directly involved in five goals this season across five appearances, showing signs of last season.
With Robert Lewandowski leading the line, Flick may now have to lean on Marcus Rashford, Raphinha, or Ferran Torres to cover the wings in the coming weeks.
The club will be desperate to have Yamal fit again for the first Clásico of the season against Real Madrid on October 26. Until then, patience — and a bit of luck — may be the best game plan.
