Lamine Yamal will not be available for the Champions League opener against Newcastle on Thursday, much to the dismay of head coach Hansi Flick. A war of words broke out between the German and the Spanish FA after he criticised the Spanish national team for not looking after Yamal. However, on the bright side, Frenkie de Jong has been named in the matchday squad.
No Yamal, more problems for Barca
Barcelona announced their squad list for the Champions League opener against Newcastle on Thursday. One glaring absence from the squad was Yamal, who has been sidelined due to an injury to his pubic bone which he suffered on international duty with Spain.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick blasts Spanish FA
Ahead of last weekend's La Liga encounter against Valencia, head coach Flick couldn't control his emotions and accused the Spanish national team of not being cautious with Yamal. "Lamine Yamal will not be available. He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play," Flick said. "They had at least a three-goal lead in every match, and he played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this."
However, Flick's words were met with a firm response from the Spanish football federation (RFEF), who reportedly claimed that they had received no information regarding a potential injury from the Catalans.
On Tuesday, reports from Spain indicated that Yamal received a spinal injection to numb the pain experienced by the youngster in the sacroiliac area. Yamal has effectively been ruled out for the rest of September, with reporting that Barca are hoping for the 18-year-old to return for the mega clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on October 1.
Boost for Barca upon De Jong's return
De Jong suffered an injury while on international duty with Netherlands and was subsequently sidelined with gluteal discomfort, forcing him to miss the game against Valencia. After a couple of training sessions away from the team, it appears that De Jong is fit enough to contribute in some capacity against the Magpies on Thursday, if not start the match.
AFPYamal and Barca extra cautious with recovery
Yamal will not be available for this weekend's La Liga encounter against Getafe and next week's visit to newly-promoted Real Oviedo. It is also likely that he will miss next Sunday's clash against Real Sociedad. In the meantime, Yamal is currently receiving daily physiotherapy sessions, alongside personalised strengthening exercises and targeted treatments aimed at accelerating his recovery.
However, Barcelona remain firm in their stance: no risks will be taken. On the other hand, the club is working to mend its relationship with the RFEF. Sporting director Deco is scheduled to meet with RFEF technical director Aitor Karanka to discuss and clarify communication protocols regarding player fitness.