Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente revealed that Lamine Yamal was "very sad" to withdraw from the Spanish national team after an invasive radiofrequency therapy this week ruled him out for over a week. The Barcelona youngster has been diagnosed with pubalgia and has struggled with fitness recently, while De la Fuente's latest words add another chapter to the feud between the Catalans and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Yamal undergoes therapy, sidelined from Spain squad
The Spanish national team suffered a major setback on Tuesday morning after Yamal was released from the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey on November 15 and 18. The Barcelona winger recently underwent invasive radiofrequency therapy to address his ongoing pubalgia issues and is expected to be sidelined for seven to 10 days.
According to an official statement from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), the medical procedure came as a “surprise,” as it was “carried out without prior notification to the national team’s medical staff,” who only learned of the details upon receiving a report at 10:40 p.m. the previous night.
Advertisement(C)Getty imagesYamal sad after withdrawing from Spain squad
De la Fuente, speaking on , confessed that Yamal was extremely sad over his release from the national camp. “Lamine is sad. He’s a player deeply committed to the national team and very well-liked," he said. "He left very sad; he was looking forward to playing these matches. He wants to have a great season with his club, and he also has the Finalissima and the World Cup etched in his memory. He’s the one who suffers the most. He always wants to come. He left sad and hurt. Anyone who says otherwise is lying or has bad intentions.
“I spoke with him. When we received the report last night, we let him rest. We went to his room and I spoke with him. I told him it was the first news he'd heard from the national team; I don't know if he had any information about Barcelona. He was incredibly sad and hurt. He was fine when he arrived. We didn't know anything until last night.”
Relationship between Barca and RFEF can be improved
During the September international break, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick sparked tensions between the club and the Spanish national team – including De la Fuente – by accusing them of "failing to take care" of Yamal as he suffered a knock on international duty. Flick's words triggered a war of words between the involved parties, with Barca and the RFEF engaging in a tense back and forth. Even De la Fuente claimed that he wasn't "interested" in what the German boss had to say.
However, on Tuesday, he reflected on the matter. He started by revealing that Barca had not given prior notice regarding the medical procedure Yamal underwent. “Nothing more has happened than what was stated in the RFEF press release," he said. "Relations are good. I have a very good relationship with Barcelona, its president, and the board of directors. What was stated in the press release is what happened.
"At least they should have communicated what they planned to do to him. After that, they're free to do whatever they think is appropriate for their player. Ask them (on why Barca aren't communicating). It's something that is, to say the least, surprising."
He addressed the criticism faced by the RFEF and said that he "missed Flick's empathy." “Nothing could be further from the truth. The priority here is the person, the footballer. When that's mentioned, I'm surprised, shocked," he conceded. "There are cases of players who have been here and then had to go home. We don't take that risk with any of them, because we prioritize the footballer and we also work with a great youth academy.
"I would do the same with Lamine; he was fit to play those matches. What we do is assess his condition, the communication he gives us… and we make the decisions.
“Those of us who have been footballers know that taking Voltaren or a painkiller is normal. There is nothing worse than ignorance and lack of knowledge. Bad faith, too. Barca wants to defend its player, and so do we.
“If I had something to say to a colleague, I would do it privately. I don't do it publicly because I might be wrong. I've missed Flick's empathy, because he was a national team coach. Otherwise, I have no problem with him.”
AFPDe la Fuente determined to be cautious with Yamal
Yamal’s diagnosis with pubalgia presents a significant challenge, given that the chronic groin condition is resistant to quick recovery and can persist for extended periods.
"They hadn't told us anything. The footballer didn't mention any pubalgia discomfort either, only lower back pain," said De la Fuente when asked when he found out about the injury.
“Unfortunately, there will be other injuries. That's football. Football is high-risk and you can get injured. We're seeing injuries in all kinds of situations. That's what worries me.
“You can have a plan to rotate players, give them rest and opportunities, but football takes you in other directions. In theory, we try to manage their minutes carefully, keeping in mind that we have two matches where everything is at stake. But not just today, always.”