The Barcelona coach, Hansi Flick, said the Spanish team should take better care of their players after striker Lamine Yamal suffered an injury in the groin during international commitments.
The 18 -year -old will miss Laliga’s Sunday game against Valencia and is doubtful for next week for Champions League against Newcastle United, according to Flick.
“Lamine will not be available tomorrow, it is a shame. He played for the national team even feeling pain. He had problems, acted 79 and 73 minutes and did not train between the games because of this pain,” said the coach.
“This is not really taking care of the players, is it? Spain has the best team in the world, the best players in the world. In all positions, they are unbelievably good. So, perhaps they also want to take care of our players, our young people, but it is as if they do the opposite. That’s what I can say and I’m really sad about it.”
considered one of the main players of and Spain, stopped training on Friday (12) for discomfort. Flick said the striker was already carrying an injury and received painkillers to act for the national team.
The teenager, who helped Spain win the European Championship last year, played 152 minutes in World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Türkiye, contributing three assists.
Flick, who led Germany before arriving, said he did not talk to Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente about the situation.
“I was also on this side, as a selection coach. I know how hard work can be sometimes. We had only one conversation by message, but never personally. My Spaniard is not good, his English either, so maybe that’s a problem,” he explained.
“But in the end, communication could be better, because we don’t just have one player there, we have many.”
In addition to Yamal, Barcelona will not be able to count on Jong’s midfielder Frenkie against Valencia, injured while defending the Dutch team. Young midfielder Marc Bernal, 18, will return after 13 months away due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The club’s press officer, Gabriel Martinez, who accompanied Flick at the press conference, said there is still no certainty about Yamal’s participation in the Newcastle’s debut duel.
“Yes, there is discomfort in the public bone. He was tested and is doubtful for Newcastle,” he said.
(Report of Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Edition of Clare Fallon)
