Yamal’s Injury Management: A Balancing Act for Club and Country

Lamine Yamal has missed seven matches this season due to pubalgia, a chronic injury resulting from a tear in the small tissue of the groin or lower abdomen. Although he has returned to the starting lineup in recent weeks, Barcelona had to cope without their young superstar for most of September. Unfortunately, Yamal experienced a recurrence of the injury, which kept him out of a La Liga fixture against Sevilla in early October. Head Coach Flick has indicated that Yamal is nearing a return to his peak performance level.

Yamal’s inclusion in Spain’s upcoming matches against Georgia and Turkey has led to a contentious dialogue between his club and the national team. Prior comments from Flick suggested that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has previously not prioritized the welfare of young talents. In response, national team coach De La Fuente defended the RFEF, citing Yamal’s recent performance as evidence that he is in “perfect condition” after starting his last six games for Barcelona.

As the team prepared for a Sunday night match against Celta Vigo, Flick expressed his concerns: “I ask the same of the national team as we do here: to take good care of him. He has improved significantly, is training well, and is undergoing daily treatment in the gym. While he can return to his best level, he is not quite at one hundred percent yet. It’s crucial for both us and the national team to take care of him, and I believe they are doing just that.”

Recurring soft tissue injuries are understandably concerning, particularly for a young player like Yamal, who has already played an impressive 116 matches for La Blaugrana before turning 19. Despite the challenges this season, he has maintained high performance levels, scoring five goals and providing six assists in just ten appearances. His contributions were pivotal in a recent Champions League match, where he scored and assisted in a disappointing 3-3 draw against Club Brugge.

Spanish media have suggested that Yamal may be dissatisfied at Camp Nou due to his ongoing injury issues. However, after the midweek match, he refuted these claims, stating, “There has been a lot of speculation about my groin injury and me being unhappy, but that is all false. I feel the same as always, very happy and focused on my work. I’m eager to return and play at my best, which is what I enjoy most.”

As highlighted by De La Fuente, Yamal has earned a consistent place in the starting lineup of Flick’s team lately. He is expected to start against Celta Vigo this weekend before embarking on international duty. Currently, Spain leads their group with four victories and no goals conceded, and they can virtually secure qualification for next summer’s World Cup in North America with a win against Turkey on November 15. However, this would require Turkiye to overcome a significant goal difference on November 18, contingent on their victory against Bulgaria.

Should Spain win against Georgia, it will be intriguing to see if De La Fuente decides to field the 18-year-old or opts to manage relations with Barcelona by giving Yamal a rest.