Why isn’t Lamine Yamal playing for Barcelona against Celta Vigo in LaLiga?

There was mixed news on the injury front for Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick as he picked his starting lineup for Saturday’s LaLiga game away to Celta Vigo. Although Robert Lewandowki has recovered from a fitness issue in time to start, fellow attacker Lamine Yamal, arguably the team’s most impressive player this season, isn’t part of the matchday squad.

“Yamal is unlikely to be fit to play on Saturday,” a source inside the Barça dressing room had told AS earlier in the week. 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, resulting in his absence this weekend.

Yamal had 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 had been 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?

With Yamal’s absence from the starting lineup confirmed, attention now turns to the Champions League home game against Brest on Tuesday (November 26), or perhaps even the LaLiga clash against Las Palmas in Montjuïc next Saturday (November 30). If Yamal features in either of those two games, his return from injury will have taken 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 continued absence is likey to give Flick and Barça 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).

Defender Eric García had been expected to be to fit to play but ultimately hasn’t made the squad either.

There is, however, also good news for Flick. Both top scorer Robert Lewandowski and Héctor Fort have have fully recovered from their injuries, with the Pole starting in attack and the young defender named on the bench.

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