Barcelona will be without teenage star Lamine Yamal when they face Newcastle in their Champions League opener on Thursday, head coach Hansi Flick confirmed. The 18-year-old has been sidelined with a pubic bone injury picked up while on international duty with Spain.
Yamal’s absence comes amid growing tension between Flick and the Spanish football federation (RFEF). The German coach accused Spain of failing to protect the youngster after fielding him despite ongoing pain.
“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 ahead of last weekend’s La Liga clash with Valencia. “They had at least a three-goal lead in every match, and he played 73 minutes and 79. Between matches he couldn’t train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this.”
The RFEF responded strongly, insisting they had not been informed of any injury concerns by Barcelona. Reports in Spain later claimed Yamal had received a spinal injection to ease the pain in his sacroiliac area. He is expected to miss the rest of September, with hopes of returning in time for Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1.
While Yamal will also miss upcoming La Liga games against Getafe, Real Oviedo, and possibly Real Sociedad, Barcelona did receive some good news. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been included in the squad for Thursday after recovering from a gluteal injury sustained with the Netherlands. Although it is unclear if he will start, Flick is expected to use him against Newcastle.
In the meantime, Yamal is undergoing daily physiotherapy and targeted treatments as Barcelona focus on a careful recovery plan. The club has also moved to ease tensions with the RFEF, with sporting director Deco scheduled to meet RFEF technical director Aitor Karanka to discuss player fitness communication protocols.
