Lamine Yamal sidelined for Barça run-in, Spain World Cup call-up expected | OneFootball

Barcelona will play their final six LaLiga matches without Lamine Yamal after the winger suffered a left hamstring tear against Celta in the 41st minute. He will miss the rest of the league season. Hansi Flick’s side are nine points clear of Real Madrid.

After scans at the Ciutat Esportiva confirmed the initial fears from dressing-room checks, Barcelona’s medical staff said they still expect him to be in Spain’s World Cup squad. He left the pitch unaided after signalling to come off.

The setback alarms Barcelona but offers some calm for Spain coach Luis de la Fuente ahead of this summer’s World Cup in North America. He will not arrive fully match sharp for the 15 June opener, though a relapse risk remains with this type of injury and treatment will be conservative.

Yamal had won and converted a penalty against Celta before feeling pain and going down. What began in celebration quickly turned to concern. Barcelona must now close out the title without him and without Raphinha.

Acting president Rafa Yuste called it a major loss but expressed confidence the squad can handle it. Gavi described Yamal as the best, saying the dressing room felt a hard blow and that the youngster was downbeat.

It is the third injury of his career. This season a pubalgia cost him five games, and last term a right ankle trauma kept him out for almost a month. In total he has missed 10 Barcelona matches through injury, with six more now to add.

His decisive strike against Celta closes his season at 24 goals, 16 in LaLiga, six in the Champions League and two in the Copa del Rey, plus 18 assists.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo