Injury has once again ruled Lamine Yamal out of a Barcelona fixture this season as the debate about the youngster’s availability continues to rage on.
The talismanic teenager was forced to sit out four matches for Barcelona immediately after playing through the pain barrier for Spain during September’s international break. Barça boss Hansi Flick was openly furious with his Spanish counterpart Luis de la Fuente for starting the 18-year-old in successive games after taking painkilling injections.
Neither manager has shown any sign of backing down in an increasingly spiky blame game. De la Fuente called Yamal up again for October’s internationals only to be met with an official retort from Barcelona which declared their star forward unfit.
Even though they will be forced to face Sevilla without the No. 10, the timing of this fitness update ensures that Barcelona will not lose Yamal to another international break and potentially even more damage going forward.
What Is Lamine Yamal’s Injury?
Barcelona confirmed that Yamal had re-aggravated the groin injury during the club’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, which kept him out of four matches previously.
Despite being introduced to senior soccer at an embryonic age, the teenager has proven to be remarkably durable thus far. Until this season, Yamal had never missed a game for Barcelona with a muscular issue. A recurring ankle issue kept the prodigy sidelined for five club matches over two spells last term, but he has otherwise been fortunate to avoid any lengthy layoffs.
When Will Lamine Yamal Be Fit Again?
Flick was predictably cautious when offering a return date for Yamal. “With this injury, it’s not so easy to know [when he will return],” the German boss warned this week. “It’s not easy to say, ‘OK he can play in two, three or four weeks...’ or if he’s able to play the Clásico. This is not possible.
“We have to wait. We must manage his load. He trains with the recovery team and [will spend] the next weeks with them. We go step by step. We have to see how the evolution is.”
Reports suggest that Yamal could be sidelined for as many as three weeks, jeopardizing his involvement in Barcelona’s first clash against Real Madrid of the season on Oct. 26.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Is Lamine Yamal Not Playing for Barcelona vs. Sevilla?.
