Barcelona secured a 3-1 win against Real Oviedo in their sixth La Liga clash of the season on September 25, at Carlos Tartiere Stadium.
One of the notable absentees in the Catalan squad for their last four games across competitions has been Lamine Yamal, whose discomfort turned into a major issue during his last international duty for Spain.
The 18-year-old star reportedly joined the La Roja camp with a pre-existing groin issue and was on the pitch for a significant time against Bulgaria and Turkey. In a press conference, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick was critical of how the Spain national team handled Yamal's situation and said,
"They gave him painkillers and he played 73 and 79 minutes. And between the matches, he didn't train. That's not taking care of the players. Spain has the best players and the best national team, but they haven't taken care of the players, and that's what I can say. I'm very disappointed," as per GOAL.
During a recent tribute event in Rioja, where a mural was dedicated to him, La Roja head coach Luis de la Fuente was asked about Flick's criticism, to which the 64-year-old manager replied,
"Do you think that today, in my homeland, and enjoying this moment, I'd remember what Hansi Flick said? Well, no, I'm not interested."
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What's next for Barcelona and Lamine Yamal?
Despite the La Masia graduate's unavailability, Barcelona have bagged four straight wins, and currently stand second in La Liga with 16 points in six matches.
Now, it appears that there's good news for Barca and their fans as Yamal has shared a story on his official Instagram account on Friday where he wrote, "Hey, I'm back."
While the recent update from Yamal points to positive progress in his recovery, it remains to be seen if Flick decides that the Spaniard is ready to feature in Barcelona's upcoming clash.
Barcelona are set to face Real Sociedad in their next La Liga clash on September 28 at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.
Barcelona news and related links
- Hansi Flick breaks silence after Barcelona star’s costly error
- Hansi Flick names when he expects Lamine Yamal Ballon d'Or win
- Barcelona confirm Gavi injury: Games missed for Hansi Flick's side, return date