Teen Star Setback
Barcelona
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has admitted that teenage star Lamine Yamal’s groin injury is more serious than initially thought, making his return date uncertain. The 18-year-old winger, recently named the second-best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala, suffered the injury while playing for Spain in September.
Although Barcelona had said Yamal would miss two to three weeks, Flick revealed that recovery could take longer. “This injury is not easy to heal. It’s not like a simple muscle issue,” he said. “We cannot say if he will play in two, three, or even four weeks. We have to see how his recovery goes step by step.”
Yamal missed four games before returning last week against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, where he suffered a setback. He will now continue training with the club’s recovery team. His goal is to return before the El Clasico clash against Real Madrid on October 26, though Flick said that remains uncertain.
The coach also criticised Spain’s national team management, saying Yamal had played through pain with injections during matches against Bulgaria and Turkey. “I don’t regret speaking out,” Flick said. “As a coach, I must protect my players. What’s done is done, but we must manage his recovery carefully.”
Despite the setback, Flick said Yamal was in better spirits after a chat on Saturday. “He feels better than before, but it’s still not good,” he noted ahead of Barcelona’s next La Liga match against Sevilla.