Lamine Yamal and Barcelona face challenges as he suffers ankle pain ahead of Celta match

Lamine Yamal‘s participation in FC Barcelona‘s upcoming La Liga match against Celta Vigo at Balaídos is highly doubtful. The 17-year-old winger has not yet returned to training with the first team squad, with sources within the club confirming to As that his availability for Saturday’s game is extremely unlikely.

Yamal sustained a grade one syndesmosis injury to his right ankle on November 6th during the Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade.

This injury forced him to miss the subsequent La Liga game against Real Sociedad on November 10th and resulted in his withdrawal from the Spanish national team’s recent Nations League fixtures.

Yamal’s absence: A pattern of defeat?

Yamal’s likely absence presents a significant concern for Barcelona. The team has lost both matches this season in which he was unavailable: the 1-0 defeat at Anoeta against Real Sociedad prior to the international break, and the 4-2 loss against Osasuna on September 29th, when he was rested after eight consecutive games.

With the Celta Vigo game looking improbable, the immediate focus shifts to ensuring Yamal’s recovery for the upcoming Champions League match against Brest the following Tuesday. Barcelona initially projected a recovery time of two to three weeks following the injury diagnosis.

While the two-week mark concludes on Wednesday, the three-week mark falls on November 27th, just one day after the Brest game, leaving his participation for this fixture also in doubt. The absence of this key player could significantly impact Barcelona’s performance in this crucial match.