Barcelona, the leaders of the Spanish League, said that Lamine Yamal will be sidelined for a period of between three and four weeks due to an ankle ligament injury.
Spanish winger Yamal missed three club matches and two international matches due to an ankle injury in November, but returned to contribute four assists in five matches before suffering a new problem in Barcelona's 1-0 defeat at home to Leganes on Sunday.
The 17-year-old was replaced by Javi in the 75th minute at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, as his side dropped points for the fifth time in six league matches.
Yamal laminated. Golden boy. pic.twitter.com/7oQ2kSan0h
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024
Yamal injury: when will he return?
Yamal's absence is a huge blow for Barcelona as they prepare to host second-placed Atletico Madrid on Saturday (8pm GMT).
The Euro 2024 winner is unlikely to miss much when Barcelona visit fourth-tier side Barbastro in the Copa del Rey last 32 on January 4 (6pm), and the soonest he could return is their match against Athletic Bilbao in Jeddah in the Spanish League. Super Cup semi-final on January 8 (7pm).
Barcelona will then have a break of over 10 days before visiting Getafe – who currently sit fifth in La Liga – in mid-January.
Their seventh Champions League match of the season will take place against Portuguese side Benfica in the league stage on January 21 (7pm).
Medical news ❗️
First team player Lamin Yamal suffered a strong blow to his right ankle during the match against Leganes on Sunday. Tests conducted on Monday showed that the player suffers from a grade 1 ankle ligament injury. The player is expected to be absent for 3… pic.twitter.com/IAFD0pWFSS
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 16, 2024
Yamal statistics
With a club-high six goals and 11 assists this season, Yamal trails only Robert Lewandowski and Rafinha among Barcelona's top scorers and has the third-most assists of any player in Europe's top five leagues.
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Liverpool's top scorer Mohamed Salah are the only players to have scored more goals in those departments.
He has completed 90 minutes in each of Barcelona's past three matches, including an assist for Ferran Torres' 85th-minute winner in a 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund on 11 December.
Barcelona lost three of the four matches in which Yamal did not start before their 5-1 win over Mallorca on December 3, when the prodigy provided two assists.
🔄 Alternatives
→🟢 Jaffe, Coparsi
←🔴 Lamin Yamal, Eric#Barcelona_Leganés pic.twitter.com/QiaXXlFEB0– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024
Barcelona: Yamal is “very important”
“It's very important,” coach Hansi Flick said after that match. “He can create many things for the team. We know his quality and we need him.”
Barcelona's loss of form has given Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid the lead in the Spanish title race, both of whom have a game more to play than Flick's side.
Atletico is equal with them on points, while the defending champion is one point behind.
