Lamine Yamal will miss Spain’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria this month after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury. Barcelona confirmed that the 18-year-old winger, who had made his first start since August in a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, will be sidelined for up to three weeks.
Yamal’s injury has left Spain without one of their star young talents, just as they aim to secure crucial points in their World Cup campaign. He had previously missed four games for Barcelona while recovering from a similar issue, and his return to action seems to have aggravated the problem. Following Barcelona’s 2-1 loss to PSG, Yamal’s discomfort became apparent, leading to his exclusion from the squad for Spain’s upcoming matches.
This setback also highlights concerns about the player’s fitness, as coach Hansi Flick of Barcelona had earlier expressed his frustration over the decision to include Yamal in Spain’s September World Cup qualifiers, fearing that it exacerbated the issue. Despite this, Spain’s national coach, Luis de la Fuente, downplayed the criticism, stating there was no conflict with Flick. He emphasized that the focus should remain on the World Cup qualifiers, which are of paramount importance.
De la Fuente also addressed questions surrounding the injury, offering clarification that while Yamal did experience discomfort following the PSG match, it wasn’t uncommon in the world of professional football. He confirmed that both the national team’s medical staff and Barcelona had been informed about the situation, and no significant issue had been identified beyond the recurrence of the groin strain.
Spain’s injury woes extend beyond Yamal, as they will also be without winger Nico Williams and right-back Dani Carvajal for the qualifiers. Williams, who has been out since sustaining a groin injury against Turkey, has not featured for his club, Athletic Bilbao, in recent weeks due to ongoing physical discomfort. In addition, striker Alvaro Morata has been left out of the squad due to a slow start to his season at Serie A club Como.
Despite these setbacks, Spain remain atop Group E with six points from two matches and will face Georgia in Elche on October 11 before hosting Bulgaria in Valladolid three days later. These fixtures are critical as Spain look to secure their place in the upcoming World Cup, with Yamal’s absence casting a shadow over their attack.
