Five weeks after Belgian doctor Ernest Schilders, a specialist in the field, treated Lamine Yamal, the results of the radiofrequency procedure used to address his groin issues can, apparently, be considered a success. Barça’s No. 10 did not join the national team during the last international break, rested for ten days, and returned against Athletic Club. Since then, he has featured in all eight matches on Hansi Flick’s schedule. Not only that. In practical terms, he has played everything: 717 of a possible 720 minutes, or 99.5 percent.
Special treatment for Barcelona star
Schilders’ arrival in Barcelona caused a stir. The Spanish FA said it was caught “by surprise” and voiced its displeasure at not being informed that the player would undergo what it described as an “invasive radiofrequency procedure.” Lamine, who had already traveled to Las Rozas, flew back home. According to some sources, he knew that would be the outcome because he was aware of Schilders’ visit. In any case, backed by the club, he rested for the prescribed period and then followed the guidelines set out by Schilders and Barça’s medical staff, who have not considered surgery at any point this season.
The radiofrequency procedure, widely used in elite sport to treat chronic groin pain or pubalgia, involves applying controlled heat to specific nerve endings around the affected area in order to reduce pain signals. It is minimally invasive and is designed to alleviate discomfort rather than repair structural damage, allowing the player to train and compete without pain inhibition. Clubs often opt for this approach as an alternative to surgery, pairing it with strict load management and targeted strength work to address the underlying biomechanical issues.
Against Athletic, it was a notably different Lamine who turned up. He looked sharper and took on defenders far more often than in previous weeks. The move that led to the 4-0 goal (he had two assists in the game), spoke for itself. Against Alavés, he scored once and set up another. And he has kept adding to his numbers in recent weeks. His stats have improved and he now leads a couple of key categories. He is LaLiga’s top assist provider with seven, and by a wide margin the league’s best dribbler, with 69 successful take-ons, well ahead of Mbappé’s 47 and the 37 registered by Vinícius and Nico.
Lamine appears to have recovered
A couple of details suggest that Lamine has, apparently, recovered from pubalgia. The first was his frustration when Flick substituted him against Eintracht even though the match was almost over. The second, that he played the full 90 minutes in Guadalajara despite it being a game he could easily have skipped.
Calm, then, seems to have returned to Lamine’s camp after a turbulent start to the season, marked by repeated spikes of controversy around every national team call-up. In September, it was his inclusion for Spain against Turkey after he had arrived carrying a knock from the Bulgaria match. Then came two withdrawals. The first, in October, which also ruled him out of the game against Sevilla after he had finished the PSG match completely exhausted. The second, in November, was due to the now famous radiofrequency procedure that has, apparently, worked. Good news for Barcelona and good news for the national team.
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