Hansi Flick has made a plea to the Spanish national team regarding the fitness of Lamine Yamal after the Barcelona teenager was called up by La Roja for their November matches.
Yamal has struggled with a groin issue all season but seems to be doing better as of late, and his performance against Club Brugge in midweek showed he’s getting closer and closer to full fitness.
Flick was asked in a press conference on Saturday about Yamal and how he thinks the national team should handle the teenager, and he’s hoping Lamine receives the same care that the club has given him in recent weeks.
“I ask [the national team] to do the same we’re doing here: that they take care of him. He’s changed, he’s much better, he’s training very well, he does daily treatment in the gym…
“He can return to his best level, he’s not at one hundred percent yet. We have to take care of him, here and with the national team. And I think they’re doing that too.”
President Joan Laporta had similar comments on Friday regarding Lamine’s minutes for Spain, who are very close to clinching an automatic spot in the World Cup and may not need Yamal to play 90 minutes in both matches.
Relations between Barça and Spain seem to have improved after a few explosive comments back and forth in the last couple of months, and here’s hoping Luis de la Fuente understands that he must also play a part in helping Yamal get back to 100%.
