Lamine Yamal will be absent for Spain’s upcoming qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria, and his participation in the El Clasico clash with Real Madrid on October 26 remains uncertain.
Published On 3 Oct 2025
Barcelona has confirmed that Lamine Yamal will miss Spain’s World Cup qualifying matches against Georgia and Bulgaria due to a recurring groin injury.
The 18-year-old attacker is anticipated to be out of action for approximately three weeks after the injury reappeared following Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, according to an official club statement released Friday.
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“Lamine Yamal’s groin issue resurfaced after the PSG match. He will miss the upcoming Sevilla game on Sunday, with an expected recovery period of two to three weeks,” the club announced.
This setback is particularly unfortunate for Yamal, who had just returned from a three-week absence to contribute to Barcelona’s victory over Real Sociedad last weekend and then completed the full match against PSG.
Yamal’s start against PSG marked his first since August, following a four-game hiatus due to the same groin problem. Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick, expressed frustration, suggesting that Yamal’s condition worsened because of his involvement in Spain’s September World Cup qualifiers.
Spain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, addressed Flick’s criticism on Friday, clarifying that there is no tension between them.
“There’s no disagreement with Flick. I was just taken aback by his comments because, having been a national team coach himself, I expected more understanding,” de la Fuente said while unveiling his squad for the upcoming qualifiers.
“We have two crucial matches ahead as we compete for World Cup qualification. The focus should be on that, not on personal remarks about Flick.
“Our priority is the World Cup. Everything else is secondary. Everyone has expressed their views, and that’s the end of it.”
Flick mentioned he had a brief text exchange with de la Fuente but acknowledged that their communication could improve.
De la Fuente aimed to clarify the situation and move past the controversy.
“After the match, Yamal experienced some discomfort, but I’ve never played without some level of discomfort. Nothing unusual happened,” he explained.
“Our medical team has provided explanations, and I have as well. Beyond that, I can’t say if he felt discomfort after the game.”
This latest injury also raises questions about Yamal’s potential involvement in the highly anticipated El Clasico against Real Madrid on October 26.
Spain will also be missing Nico Williams and Dani Carvajal for the upcoming fixtures, while Alvaro Morata has been excluded from the squad following a slow start to the season with Como.
Athletic Bilbao’s winger Williams has been sidelined since sustaining a groin injury during Spain’s 6-0 victory over Turkey. His club reportedly requested careful management of his playing time due to ongoing physical issues.
“In football and sports, there’s always an inherent risk. If a player is active at his club, he accepts those risks. These are normal circumstances,” de la Fuente commented.
Currently, Spain leads Group E with six points from two matches. They will face Georgia in Elche on October 11 and then host Bulgaria in Valladolid three days later.
