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Barcelona are reportedly fearful of Lamine Yamal’s fitness as the teenage sensation prepares to lead Spain’s charge at the World Cup. Despite the forward’s importance to the national team, Blaugrana officials are concerned that the recovery process of their crown jewel is being accelerated to meet international deadlines.
Fears of premature return
The Catalan giants are increasingly uncomfortable with Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal’s recovery, with concerns mounting ahead of the national team’s opening match at the World Cup.
While Spain remains optimistic about his chances of being available, Barcelona believe caution should remain the priority for a player who is still developing physically.
The situation has intensified following recent comments from Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente regarding the fitness of several key players, suggesting that the youngster is close to returning.
De la Fuente’s optimistic update
Providing an update on his injured stars, De la Fuente indicated that Yamal is progressing well and could be available sooner than initially expected. The coach stated: “These players (Lamine, Mikel Merino, Nico Williams) are progressing well in their recovery. I think they will all be available for the first game, but we will assess whether it is worth it for them to play that game, not so much because of the risk it entails, but because our focus goes beyond the second or third game.”
While the statement may seem positive from Spain’s perspective, it has created anxiety within the halls of Camp Nou. It must be remembered that Yamal suffered an injury to the femoral biceps of his left leg during Barcelona’s victory over Celta de Vigo on April 22 and has not played any official match since that date.
Medical experts warn of risk of relapse
The club’s caution is backed by medical testimony, as Barcelona’s former head of physiotherapy Juanjo Brau has highlighted the dangers of an accelerated comeback.
Brau warned that in these processes the return must be done by dosing the load, which often conflicts with the high-intensity demands of a World Cup tournament.
The expert also pointed out that there is a very real risk of relapse from the moment a player is discharged until a month and a half later. This window is particularly delicate for an explosive player like Yamal, whose game relies on sudden changes of pace and aggressive dribbling, which puts immense pressure on the hamstrings.
A race against time for Cape Verde
Spain is scheduled to begin its World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15. At that point, it would have only been 54 days since the injury, which would put Yamal right at the earliest projected recovery window rather than the safer end of the eight-week schedule typically required for such muscle tears.
Yamal is yet to fully reintegrate into competitive football since his injury, having not traveled with Spain for the friendly against Peru and remaining at the training base to follow a tailored recovery programme. For Barcelona, the risk of losing its star to a long-term injury outweighs any short-term gain for the national team’s first match.
