Barcelona suffer Lamine Yamal injury setback

Robert Lewandowski should be fit to face Celta Vigo on Saturday, but there is significantly less optimism surrounding his fellow attacker.

There is mixed news on the injury front for Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick ahead of Saturday’s LaLiga game away to Celta Vigo. Although Robert Lewandowki and Eric García have recovered from fitness issues in time to play, there is increasing pessimism surrounding teenage sensation Lamine Yamal’s availability.

“Yamal is unlikely to be fit to play on Saturday,” a source inside the Barça dressing room has told AS. The 17-year-old is still in some pain after injuring his right ankle in the Champions League win over Crvena Zvezda on November 6, which means his presence at the weekend is in serious doubt.

Yamal has already been forced to sit out the defeat to Real Sociedad before the international break, as well as Spain’s UEFA Nations League victories against Denmark and Switzerland. In a statement issued on November 11, Barcelona indicated they expected the winger to be out for “two to three weeks,” although there was hope earlier this week that he could make a slightly earlier than anticipated return to face Celta.

Lamine Yamal injury update: when will he be back playing for Barcelona?

That now appears very unlikely to happen, with attention now turning to the Champions League home game against Brest on November 26, or perhaps even the LaLiga clash against Las Palmas in Montjuïc on November 30. If Yamal features in either of those two games, his return from injury will take place inside three weeks.

The teenager himself will ultimately be the one to decide when he is fit to play. Although he is still in some discomfort, the source has revealed he is almost pain-free when his foot is bandaged. However, the injury is a delicate one and no risks will be taken to rush him back too soon.

Barcelona’s poor record without Lamine Yamal

Yamal’s potential absence would give Flick and Barça plenty cause for concern. The attacker has only failed to start two of the Catalans’ LaLiga games so far this season, both of which they lost (4-2 to Osasuna and 1-0 to Real Sociedad).

There is, however, also good news for the German coach. Both top scorer Robert Lewandowski and defender Eric García have fully recovered from their injuries and will be available for Saturday, as will young defender Héctor Fort.