Tensions might be quietly building once again between Barcelona and the Spanish national team regarding the management of Lamine Yamal's fitness, according to a recent report by SPORT.

The 18-year-old sensation has been battling ongoing pubalgia problems, creating a complex situation between club and country. Barcelona's medical team has been cautiously limiting Yamal's playing time for weeks to avoid worsening his condition. The club advocates for a rest period to allow the youngster's recovery to progress smoothly, but Spain's coach, Luis de la Fuente, seemingly disagrees.

Fears of relapse

Barcelona's concern stems from Yamal not being at peak physical condition and fears of a relapse reminiscent of the earlier season. This issue previously caused friction when former Spain coach Hansi Flick expressed frustration after Yamal returned from the national team's September camp with a worsened injury, having played over 150 minutes while not fully fit. Though the tension between Flick and de la Fuente has eased since then, communication between the two sides remains limited, especially regarding Yamal's workload management.

Despite Barcelona's inclination to give Yamal some downtime, the teenager has started every match since the October international break, logging 317 minutes on the pitch. De la Fuente's stance is clear: if Yamal is deemed fit to play for Barcelona, even in high-pressure fixtures like El Clasico and the Champions League, he should similarly be available and contribute to Spain's World Cup qualification campaign.

The decision on whether Yamal will be called up for Spain's upcoming fixtures against Georgia and Turkey may depend heavily on his performance and playing time in the upcoming club match against Club Brugge. All attention is currently on how Flick manages Yamal's minutes during that game.

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