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Barcelona have confirmed the injury to their teenage sensation Lamine Yamal via a statement on their website. The 17-year-old strained his left hamstring on international duty with Spain.
Yamal was with the Spain senior team for their UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Serbia. The Barca youngster started and played 93 minutes in La Roja's 1-0 win over the Danes before coming off after complaining of a leg injury.
Further scans have confirmed that the Barcelona starlet has suffered a hamstring injury. The club relayed the news via a statement on their website, but did not put a timeline on his return.
"Tests conducted this morning, Monday 14 October, have confirmed that Lamine Yamal has strained his left hamstring and will be out of action until he has fully recovered," the statement said.
Yamal is expected to miss Barcelona's next match against Sevilla. Manager Hansi Flick will be hoping the youngster is back in action soon as La Blaugrana's next matches this month include a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich before they go to Madrid for El Clasico.
Upon returning to Barcelona, Yamal was met by reporters and he confirmed his injury to El Chiringuito before adding that he's feeling better.
"Yes, I’m feeling better now. Let’s recover and return as soon as possible," the 17-year-old said (via Barca Blaugranes).
Lamine Yamal has been a key figure in Barcelona's season so far. He has started all but one match out of the 11 games he has played, contributing with five goals and as many assists.
"What he's doing is not normal" - Barcelona legend on Yamal
Lamine Yamal's meteoric rise to stardom has taken the football world by storm. Ever since he made his debut as a 15-year-old, he has been earmarked as the next best thing in the sport.
Yamal was an ever-present in former Barcelona manager Xavi's line-up, making 37 appearances in the league last season. This season as well, he has played all the matches for club and country prior to his injury.
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta spoke to Mundo Deportivo about Yamal's rise, calling it "not normal."
"It’s not normal as we think of normality. What he’s doing so far is not normal. The challenge is that the environment and what accompanies him guide him to that evolution. He’s 17 years old, he has his whole career ahead of him and what he must do is continue enjoying that joy and the freedom of playing in the school playground," Iniesta said (via GOAL).
Iniesta, however, had a word of caution for the Barca and Spain star.
"Therefore, everything around him must accompany him so that his growth continues every year. Every year he will have to improve himself and that is the demand that he will have at Barca and in the national team and that at the same time is not easy," Iniesta warned.
Like Yamal, Iniesta also came through Barcelona's famed La Masia academy. The 40-year-old spent 16 seasons with the Catalan club. He spent his final few years as an active player in Japan and the UAE before announcing his retirement earlier this month.
