Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has criticised Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal after the 18-year-old winger was ruled out of Sunday’s La Liga game against Valencia. Yamal, who has a groin issue, also remains doubtful for Thursday’s Champions League clash against Newcastle.
He featured in both of Spain’s recent World Cup qualifying wins over Bulgaria and Turkey, despite already carrying discomfort.
Flick Blames Spain for Overplaying Young Star
Speaking at a press conference, Flick accused Spain of neglecting Yamal’s wellbeing.
“He went to the national team with pain, didn’t train, got painkillers to play,” Flick said. “In both matches they were already three goals ahead, yet he played 79 and 73 minutes. Between matches, no training. This is not looking after young players.”
The German coach added that Spain has one of the strongest squads in world football, so resting Yamal should not have been an issue.
Communication Breakdown with De la Fuente
Flick revealed he had spoken briefly with Spain boss Luis de la Fuente via text, but said their communication needs improvement.
“Maybe it’s my Spanish not being good, or his English not good, but the communication could be better,” he noted. “When I coached a national team, communication with clubs was always strong.”
Squad Updates: De Jong Out, Bernal Returns
Barcelona will also be without Frenkie de Jong for the Valencia match. However, midfielder Marc Bernal is fit again after a nine-month absence with a knee injury.
Barcelona Forced to Play at Training Ground
With the Camp Nou still under renovation, the match will be held at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium. Flick dismissed concerns about the venue, insisting his players are prepared.
“I spoke with the captains, and they said it won’t affect us. When the new Camp Nou is ready, of course, it’s different — 105,000 fans — but for now, it’s the same for Valencia too,” Flick said.
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