Barcelona learn extent of Lamine Yamal injury
- Yamal was forced off in the closing stages of Spain's victory over Denmark
- The Barcelona winger has been in brilliant form for club and country this season
- After an MRI scan, Spain have revealed the full extent of Yamal's injury
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal has avoided any serious damage after limping off during Spain's 1-0 victory over Denmark on Saturday evening.
The Catalan giants were sweating over the fitness status of their star teenager after he pulled up in stoppage time of the weekend's UEFA Nations League win.
Yamal only turned 17 the day before he helped Spain defeat England in the final of Euro 2024 in July, but has already established himself as an undisputed starter for club and country.
In the final stages of a battling victory in Murcia, he limped off the pitch. The fleet-footed forward subsequently left the national team setup ahead of Tuesday's visit from Serbia to avoid aggravating the issue. Spain have revealed that Yamal avoided any serious damage after undergoing an MRI scan.
"Tests have not detected any structural injury and the RFEF medical services confirm that it is an overload," a statement from the national federation confirmed.
But while he has escaped a lengthy layoff, it remains to be seen whether Yamal will be fit in time for Barcelona's upcoming La Liga meeting with Sevilla on Sunday.
"Tests carried out this morning on Lamine Yamal have confirmed that he has an overload in the hamstring of his left thigh," Barcelona added. "The time of his return to training will depend on his progress."
Barcelona have been stung by overworked players on international duty in the past. Gavi is only just on the cusp of making his return to first-team football almost a year after tearing his ACL while representing Spain in November 2023. One day before the dynamic midfielder sunk to the turf clutching his knee, national team boss Luis de la Fuente had said: "Good players never rest."
But the Spanish giants are guilty of relying upon Yamal themselves. One of the world's best right wingers has been included in the starting lineup for 11 of Barcelona's 12 games across all competitions this season. Even when he was rested for the trip to Osasuna last month, Yamal was summoned off the bench to score a brilliant goal.
Coach Hansi Flick has resisted repeated calls to take the teenager out of the firing line and delivered a line last month eerily echoing De la Fuente's stance on rotation. "I tell Lamine champions don't rest."
READ THE LATEST BARCELONA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP
feed