LA LIGA: YAMAL’S INJURY COMPLICATED, RETURN DATE UNCERTAIN — HANSI FLICK
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By: Sefiu Ajape
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick says Lamine Yamal’s groin injury is “not so easy” to recover from, casting doubt on the teenager’s expected return timeline.
The club had earlier announced that the 18-year-old winger would be out for two to three weeks, but Flick suggested the absence could be longer.
“This injury is not so easy, like a muscle (injury), we have this experience with (those), the coaches, the therapists,” Flick said on Saturday.
“With this kind of injury, it’s not easy to say now, okay, he can play in two weeks, in three weeks or four weeks, so he’s able to play in the Clasico — this is not possible. We have to wait… we have to manage his (work) load.”
Yamal, who sustained the groin injury while playing for Spain in September, missed four games before returning last week. However, he suffered a recurrence during Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
The teenager, recently voted the second-best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala, is now working with Barcelona’s recovery team.
“He will train with our recovery team, so for the next weeks he is with them, we have to go step by step and have to see how his evolution is,” Flick explained.
Despite the setback, the coach revealed that Yamal was feeling slightly better.
“I spoke with him today and it’s much better than before, but it’s not good,” Flick said ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Sevilla.
Flick also defended his earlier criticism of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who had allowed Yamal to play against Bulgaria and Turkey using pain-killing injections.
De la Fuente had said he expected Flick to have more “empathy,” given his experience as a national team coach, but Flick maintained his stance.
“I don’t regret this, I want to protect my players,” he stated. “It’s done now, for me it’s over, we have to look forwards… the important thing is that we manage this together, the clubs and the federation.”
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