Lamine Yamal grapples with new hurdle as star forward's injury issues persist

Barcelona are reportedly planning to block Lamine Yamal from being called up by Spain for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. The decision comes amid ongoing concerns over the 18-year-old forward’s groin injury, which was aggravated after he reportedly took painkillers to participate in Spain’s recent international double-header.

According to Catalan publication ARA, Barcelona intend to have Yamal focus on club duties, playing in key fixtures against Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla, before making it clear that he will be unavailable for Spain in October. The move reflects the club’s frustration over Yamal risking further injury during international duty.

Injury aggravation and recent absences

Yamal, who recently returned from his groin problem in Barcelona’s La Liga victory over Real Sociedad, reportedly aggravated the issue while playing for Spain against Bulgaria and Turkey. This has caused him to miss several critical matches for Barcelona, including games against Valencia, Getafe, and Real Oviedo, as well as the Champions League opener against Newcastle.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick expressed his frustration regarding the situation:

"Lamine Yamal will not be available. He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play. 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.”

The comments highlight the club’s concern over Yamal’s welfare and the risk of exacerbating a delicate injury.

FIFPRO raises alarm over youth workload

The saga surrounding Lamine Yamal’s fitness has drawn attention beyond Barcelona, with the footballers’ union FIFPRO warning about the excessive workload placed on the forward. A recent report highlighted that Yamal has made 130 appearances by the age of 18, a stark contrast to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta, who had 40 appearances at the same age.

Darren Burgess, chair of FIFPRO's high-performance advisory network, stressed the long-term risks:

“It’s certainly alarming. To expose them [players up to the age of 24 and 25] to excessive load at that time is almost certainly to expose them to greater injury risk.”

Burgess also noted the vulnerability of young players’ bodies:

"Growth plates, tendons, and ligaments remain vulnerable during these years, and excessive high-speed running or short recovery windows can lead to long-term structural damage. The psychological toll should also not be underestimated.”

The road ahead for Lamine Yamal

As Barcelona and Spain navigate this delicate situation, the focus will remain on protecting Lamine Yamal’s long-term career prospects. With the teenage star already achieving remarkable success at a young age, managing his workload and ensuring proper recovery will be crucial to sustaining his development and avoiding chronic injuries.