In the Barcelona Sports City they breathed. “The alarms did not go off,” the Barça coaching staff celebrated this Monday, after Lamine Yamal passed the medical tests. “The player has an overload in the hamstring of his left thigh. The time of return to training will be marked by his evolution,” revealed the Barça entity. Same analysis that the federation’s doctors had carried out last Sunday, after the striker was unable to complete the match against Denmark in Murcia. “Luckily he is fine, but it hurt a lot,” the same Barcelona sources underline.
It was precisely Lamine’s pain that opened the door for him to leave La Roja. “I’m going to tell what happened. Lamine had some discomfort and I asked him how he was and if he could be there on Tuesday. When the player has doubts, we have no doubts. Of course we take care of the players, we are not kamikazes,” De la Fuente explained. In the run-up to the match against Serbia, 11 of the 16 questions to the coach had the same protagonist: Lamine Yamal. De la Fuente did not hide why he cares for him nor why he always prefers him in the field. The best have to play. That is what is going to be asked for. If it doesn’t work, you would give me birth. “Didn’t your coaches always put Cruyff, Maradona, Messi or Ronaldo?” said the La Roja coach.
According to De la Fuente, Barcelona did not pressure him to release Lamine. A version that does not coincide with that of the Barcelona entity. “Zero pressure. I haven’t spoken to anyone about Barça. There has simply been honesty. I appreciate the gesture of a footballer who is not fit and has told me that he is not ready for a very important match. I appreciate that he is so honest and so mature for his youth,” De la Fuente explained.
Although, according to the coach, Lamine feels cared for in the federation – “We are a family,” he said – he preferred that the player return home instead of staying with the rest of his teammates. “Lamine is 17 years old and needs to live the situation with his surroundings. He feels very comfortable with us, but at home he surely feels better. You will be calmer, more comfortable. Lamine has always shown maximum commitment to us.”
Lamine’s body gives him a warning. After having lived a first season in the elite with practically no respite, in which he played 3,850 minutes (2,957 with Barcelona and 893 with the national team), this campaign the forward did not want to rest: he had 1,023, between La Roja and Barça. Now you will have to do it. A problem for De la Fuente. “It is irreplaceable. Lamine is fantastic, but whoever replaces him is also very good,” concluded the Spain coach.
