Barcelona are reportedly ready to block Lamine Yamal from joining Spain’s squad for October World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria, as the fallout from the teenager’s groin injury continues.
According to Catalan outlet ARA, Barca plan to use the 18-year-old against Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla this week before making him unavailable for Spain’s fixtures on October 11 and 14. Yamal returned from injury in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, assisting Robert Lewandowski’s decisive goal.
– ADEVERTISEMENT –
Barca boss Hansi Flick remains furious after learning Yamal aggravated the problem earlier this month by taking painkillers to play for Spain against Bulgaria and Turkey. The forward subsequently missed league matches against Valencia, Getafe, and Real Oviedo, plus the Champions League opener against Newcastle.
The club-versus-country tension comes as FIFPRO warns about Yamal’s heavy workload. A new report shows he has already played 130 games by age 18—compared to just 40 by Barcelona legend Andrés Iniesta at the same age. “It’s certainly alarming,” said Darren Burgess of FIFPRO, citing long-term injury risks.
Barcelona top La Liga with 19 points and host PSG in the Champions League before visiting Sevilla on Sunday.
