Barcelona has announced that Lamine Yamal will be sidelined for the remainder of the season, a considerable setback for the club’s La Liga title aspirations. Fortunately, the club has eased concerns for Spain, confirming that the young talent is not in danger of missing the upcoming World Cup.
Lamine Yamal is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks, meaning he could be fit to return by June 6th. This timeframe would allow him to be available just nine days before Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde in Atlanta. The 18-year-old expressed his disappointment with the injury but will undoubtedly find solace in the fact that his World Cup participation is not jeopardized.
Lamine Yamal Injury Carries Significant Relapse Risk
However, theoretical relief may not translate to practical certainty. Sports specialist Dr. Pedro Luis Ripoll, speaking on Cadena SER, expressed caution regarding Lamine Yamal’s full fitness for the start of the World Cup. Dr. Ripoll highlighted that the estimated recovery period is for returning to training, not necessarily competitive matches. Typically, a player would need to complete six training sessions before being cleared to play at a high level again. Based on this assessment, it’s likely that Lamine Yamal will miss Spain’s first game, potentially being ready to face Saudi Arabia (June 21st) and Uruguay (June 27th).
Barcelona’s Recurring Hamstring Issues
Dr. Ripoll further elaborated that Barcelona has encountered similar injury patterns throughout the season. He noted that this particular type of hamstring injury typically carries a 30% risk of relapse, a figure that has seemingly doubled for Barcelona players this season.
“FC Barcelona has had nine players injured with this type of injury throughout the season, and the great danger of this injury is relapse. So, if they put the player back into action abruptly from the beginning, there is a great risk of relapse. In fact, of the nine players who have suffered hamstring problems, six have relapsed.”
A prime example of this issue is Raphinha, who has suffered two hamstring injuries this season, experiencing a relapse once before attempting to return to play. The Brazilian’s repeated absences have presented a significant challenge for coach Hansi Flick.
