Lamine Yamal’s October nightmare – From injury setbacks to El Clasico controversy | OneFootball

For Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, October has been a month he will want to move on from as quickly as possible. 

What began with optimism after a strong start to the season has spiralled into frustration, injuries, and unwanted headlines. 

Borrowing Hansi Flick’s words from last season, it has been a “shit October” for the Barcelona prodigy.

Not a great start to the month

It all started with the 1-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, where Nuno Mendes made life miserable for the youngster. Things went downhill from there. 

A pubic injury forced him to miss the Sevilla clash and led to his omission from the Spanish national team. 

During his recovery, he faced criticism over a trip to Croatia with his partner – a move that did not sit well with sections of the fanbase or the media. When it finally looked like he was ready to return, El Clasico arrived. 

Lamine Yamal has just two goal contributions this month. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

His week leading up to the big match was overshadowed by remarks made during a Kings League appearance, where he joked about Real Madrid, saying, “they steal, they complain.” 

The words were picked up everywhere, especially by Madrid players, and the tension carried straight onto the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Dig from Real Madrid players

After the 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid, several Los Blancos players, including Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois, confronted Yamal about his comments, while Jude Bellingham took to social media, writing, “Talk is cheap.” 

The young winger was far from his best on the night, lacking the spark, pace, and precision that made him so effective last season.

Yamal’s decline in form this month has been noticeable. After a promising start, both the goals and assists have dried up. 

To put it in perspective, he has finished the month with just 319 minutes played, one penalty goal against Olympiacos, and an assist for Pedri against Girona. 

Still, at just 18 years old, dips in form are inevitable. Yamal’s October may have been chaotic, but it is also part of his evolution, a tough learning curve that every young star must face before reaching the top.