Lamin Yamal will be out for three to four weeks with damaged ligaments in his ankle, LaLiga leaders Barcelona have announced.
Spain winger Yamal missed three club games and two internationals with an ankle injury in November but had returned to provide four assists in five games before suffering a further setback in Barca’s 1-0 defeat at home to Leganes on Sunday.
The 17-year-old was replaced by Gavi in the 75th minute at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys as his side dropped points for the fifth time in six league games.
Laminated Yamal. Golden Boy. pic.twitter.com/7oQ2kSan0h
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024
Yamal Injury: When Will He Return?
Yamal’s absence is a major blow for Barcelona as they prepare to host second-placed Atletico Madrid on Saturday (20:00 GMT).
The Euro 2024 winner is unlikely to miss that long when Barca visit fourth division Barbastro in the Copa del Rey round of 32 on January 4 (6pm). Super Cup semi-finals on January 8 (7pm).
Barcelona will then have a break of more than 10 days before visiting Getafe – currently fifth-bottom of LaLiga – in mid-January.
The seventh Champions League game of the season is at Portugal’s Benfica in the league stage on January 21 (7pm).
MEDICAL NEWS ❗️
First team player Lamine Yamal suffered a knock on his right ankle during the match against CD Leganés on Sunday. Tests on Monday revealed the player has a grade 1 ankle ligament injury. The player is expected to be out for 3… pic.twitter.com/IAFD0pWFSS
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 16, 2024
Yamal statistics
With six team goals and 11 assists this season, Yamal sits behind Robert Lewandowski and Rafinha among Barca’s top scorers and has the third most assists of any player in Europe’s big five leagues.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Liverpool’s top scorer Mohamed Salah are the only players to have scored more goals in these categories.
He had completed 90 minutes in each of Barcelona’s last three games, including an assist for Ferran Torres’ 85th-minute winner in a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund on 11 December.
Barcelona lost three of the four games Yamal did not start before their 5-1 win at Mallorca on December 3, when the prodigy provided two assists.
🔄 Changes
→ Gavi, Cubarsí
←🔴 Lamin Yamal, Eric#BarçaLeganés pic.twitter.com/QiaXXlFEB0— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024
Barcelona: “Yamal is very important”
“He’s very important,” coach Hansi Flick said after that game. “He can create a lot of things for the team. We know his quality and we need him.”
Barcelona’s loss of form has handed the initiative to Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in the Spanish title race, who both have a game in hand over Flick’s side.
Atleti are level with them, while the champions are a point behind.
