Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is confident that teenage Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal will recover from a knee injury in time to feature against England in this weekend’s Nations League showdown.
Rest and Recovery First
Yamal, 19, was ruled out of Spain’s trip to face the Czech Republic in Prague due to inflammation and fluid in his knee, despite playing in Barcelona’s recent win over Atletico Madrid. De la Fuente explained that, following scans and medical advice, it was wise for Yamal to rest rather than travel prematurely.
“He got hurt in the last match… and they saw he had inflammation and fluid in the knee – that meant he needed rest,” said the coach.
Positive Signs Ahead of England Clash
De la Fuente maintained communication with both Yamal and Barcelona’s medical staff, expressing confidence in the player’s recovery plan:
“He’s doing exercises with his physio and club that indicate the recovery is going well… We believe, I’m optimistic, that on Friday he’ll be with us.”
The coach also dismissed any notion of special treatment for Yamal, who finished third in October’s Ballon d’Or voting, emphasizing that Spain’s medical process would have been the same for any player.
Spain’s Impressive Run Continues
Spain have already sealed their Nations League quarter-final place, boasting an unbeaten streak of 43 competitive matches. De la Fuente said this record is motivating:
“We want to keep setting new milestones… having reached 43, you think, my goodness, we want to get to 44.”
Spain’s depth has played a key role in their success, with Arsenal’s Mikel Merino often making a game-changing impact off the bench. While Merino hopes for more starting opportunities, he affirmed his commitment to respect the coach’s decisions.
With Yamal’s return likely, Spain will look to extend their dominant run when they take on England in Madrid.
