Lamine Yamal out for Barcelona: these are the games he’ll miss

Following a painful loss to Leganés, Barcelona faces another blow with the injury to Lamine Yamal. The winger underwent medical tests on Monday morning to assess the damage caused by Neyou’s tackle. The tests confirmed a sprain in his right ankle, ruling him out for potentially up to a month.

Club statement on X (formerly Twitter):

“First team player Lamine Yamal suffered a trauma to his right ankle during yesterday’s match against CD Leganés. Tests conducted this morning have revealed a grade 1 injury to the anterior tibiofibular ligament. He is expected to be out for approximately 3-4 weeks.”

This is not the first time Lamine has suffered an injury to this area. On November 6, in a game against Red Star, he sustained a blow to his right ankle, resulting in a grade 1 syndesmosis injury with an initial recovery estimate of two to three weeks. His recovery stretched to the three weeks, during which he missed matches against Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo, and Brest. Given these recurring issues and the extended recovery time, Barça’s medical team is exercising extreme caution. The club is keen to avoid any risks, especially after Frenkie de Jong’s recurring right ankle injury last season, which sidelined him for nearly five months.

Lamine was visibly affected during the match against Leganés, beginning with Neyou’s challenge in the 15th minute, which caused an awkward twist to his right ankle. Although he managed to stay on the pitch until the 74th minute, his physical condition was clearly compromised. He even requested to be substituted twice in the first half before continuing, only to be replaced by Gavi later in the game. His absence comes at a critical time for Barcelona, as the team has secured only five of the last 18 points in LaLiga.

Which games will Lamine Yamal miss?

This means he will miss the crucial clash against Atlético Madrid next Saturday, as well as the Copa del Rey match against Barbastro on January 4. His participation in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Athletic Club on January 8 is also in doubt.

Tactical options for Flick

Without Lamine, coach Hansi Flick faces a tough decision ahead of the Atlético match. He could push Dani Olmo to the left wing and deploy Raphinha on the right, with either Gavi or Pablo Torre as the attacking midfielder. Alternatively, Olmo could operate as the attacking midfielder, with Ferran Torres taking over on the left wing.

This injury adds another layer of complexity to a pivotal moment in Barcelona’s season.

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