Barcelona and Spain agree joint plan delaying Lamine Yamal's comeback from hamstring injury until after World Cup

Barcelona and Spain have agreed a joint plan to delay Lamine Yamal’s return from a hamstring injury until later in the World Cup, according to multiple reports on May 21. The 18-year-old Barcelona forward has been out for nearly a month after suffering a left hamstring injury late in the club season. Barcelona said at the time that Yamal would follow a conservative treatment plan. The latest reporting says that caution has now been formalized with Spain ahead of the tournament. ### How long has Yamal been out, and what did Barcelona say about the injury? Barcelona said after medical tests in April that Yamal had injured the biceps femoris muscle in his left leg. The club did not initially set a public return date, but said the player would follow conservative treatment, a phrase that has shaped the reporting around his World Cup availability. By May 21, Yahoo Sports said he had been sidelined for almost a month. (sports.yahoo.com) CBS Sports and other outlets had earlier reported that the injury would rule Yamal out for the rest of Barcelona’s season while still leaving open the possibility of appearing for Spain at the World Cup. Hansi Flick later said he expected to see Yamal at the tournament and that the player had time to recover calmly. (sportsbrief.com) ### What exactly have Barcelona and Spain agreed to? Yahoo Sports reported on May 21 that Barcelona and Spain had reached a consensus on Yamal’s return date ahead of the World Cup. World Soccer Talk, citing that reporting, said the agreement could keep him out of Spain’s first two group-stage matches if his recovery continues on the current schedule. The Athletic reported on May 18 that Yamal was unlikely to feature in Spain’s opener against Cape Verde on June 15 in order to optimize his recovery. (cbssports.com) Sports Illustrated and other reports in recent days described him as expected to miss Spain’s opening game and as a doubt for the second. Those reports point to Spain’s third group match, against Uruguay on June 27, as the likeliest window for a return if there are no setbacks. That remains reported timing rather than a formal announcement from the Spanish federation. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Which Spain matches are affected by the plan? World Soccer Talk reported that Spain open their World Cup group campaign against Cape Verde on June 15 and then face Saudi Arabia six days later. Under the current plan described in those reports, Yamal could miss both of those matches. June 27, when Spain play Uruguay, has been cited as the date circled for a possible return. (si.com) The same report said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is due to announce his World Cup squad on Monday, May 25. Spain then have two pre-tournament friendlies scheduled, against Iraq on June 4 and Peru on June 8, before the group stage begins. ### What have teammates said while Yamal has been sidelined? (worldsoccertalk.com) Raphinha said this week that Barcelona’s senior players have been active in guiding Yamal on and off the pitch. “We correct him and he listens,” Raphinha said, according to Barca Blaugranes and Yahoo Sports. In a separate account carried by Foot Africa, Raphinha said Yamal often asks for advice and listens when teammates remind him after mistakes. (worldsoccertalk.com) Those comments do not address the medical plan directly, but they add to the picture around how Barcelona have handled Yamal during his absence: with senior players publicly describing a protective role around one of the club’s youngest stars. ### What happens next? May 25 is the next fixed date in the story, when Luis de la Fuente is expected to name Spain’s World Cup squad. (sports.yahoo.com) June 4 and June 8 are Spain’s scheduled friendlies against Iraq and Peru, and June 15 is the opening group match against Cape Verde. If the current recovery timetable holds, the first realistic target for Yamal’s return is Spain’s June 27 game against Uruguay. (worldsoccertalk.com)