The Spanish Football Federation announced on Tuesday morning that Lamine Yamal was unavailable for the matches that the Spanish team will play in this World Cup qualifying window against Georgia, on Saturday, and Turkey, next Tuesday. The Barcelona player is unavailable due to pubic discomfort and the treatment he is undergoing to relieve it, which requires a few days of rest. In its statement, the federation regrets having been informed in retrospect and accuses Barça of bad faith. Yamal had played the last matches with his team as a starter, two in the league and one in the Champions League in the last 10 matchdays: against Elche, Brugge and Celta, a match in which he was replaced in the 88th minute.
“The RFEF Medical Services express surprise and discomfort after learning, at 1.47pm on Monday 10 November, the day of the start of the official training camp with the national team, that that same morning the player Lamine Yamal had undergone invasive radiofrequency surgery to treat his pubic discomfort”, reads the RFEF statement.
“This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the national team’s medical team, which was only made known through a report received last night at 10.40pm, which indicates the medical recommendation of rest for 7-10 days. Given this situation, and giving priority at all times to the health, safety and well-being of the player, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has decided to exempt the athlete from this call,” the statement adds.
Lamine Yamal, who had concentrated with the Spanish team on Monday evening, was thus exempted from the competition the following day. “We trust that he will evolve favorably and wish him a speedy and complete recovery,” concludes the statement from the Spanish Football Federation.
“There are procedures that happen outside the Federation. This is what happens, we have to accept it. I have never experienced a situation like this. I don’t think it is very normal. It surprised us all. You have no news, nor do you know details, apart from a health problem, because it is surprising”, intervened Luis de la Fuente, in an interview with RNE.
At Barcelona, however, it is understood that from the club’s point of view it is completely understandable and logical to deal with him when there are no matches, that is, during this break for the national team’s matches. “The only thing missing is that we cannot treat our player,” say club sources, who provide no further arguments as to why the treatment carried out a few hours after the journey to Las Rozas had not been informed in advance. Lamine’s entourage, for its part, is exhausted by the war between club and federation: “They share the best player in the world and don’t take care of him”, they complain. The Federation has called up Jorge de Frutos, a winger from Rayo Vallecano, to replace the Barcelona striker.
“There are procedures that take place outside the Federation. This is what happens, we have to accept it. I have never experienced a situation like this. I don’t think it’s very normal. It surprised us all. There is no news, nor do we know details, apart from a health problem, because it’s surprising”, declared Luis de la Fuente for his part. The national coach made these statements to RNE.
