Luis de la Fuente has hit back at Barcelona’s criticism over Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres after all three players suffered setbacks on international duty. The Spain boss insisted his staff always prioritise players’ health and urged critics not to “make a big deal” out of routine injuries.
Barcelona's injury war with the Spanish national team continued as La Roja manager Luis de la Fuente made a contradictory claim about Dani Olmo's injury. The Barcelona attacking midfielder was left out of the Spain squad for their 2-0 win over Georgia on Saturday and the 27-year-old has now been released from the national team as he won't regain full fitness ahead of their upcoming clash on Tuesday.
Ansu Fati’s explosive start to life at Monaco has reignited hopes of a Spain comeback. The Barcelona loanee has rediscovered his scoring touch in Ligue 1, netting six goals in five games. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has now confirmed that the 22-year-old forward is “on their radar” ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Gary Lineker never thought we'd see another player like Lionel Messi - until Lamine Yamal came along. "Just watching him, he makes it look so easy to beat a player. He goes past them almost as if they're invisible, like they're not there," the ex-England international enthused on the 'Stick to Football' podcast the morning after Barcelona's thrilling 3-3 draw with Inter on April 30.
The club versus country row between Barcelona and Spain has escalated after Luis de la Fuente called up Lamine Yamal for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The Spain boss fired back at Hansi Flick's complaints about player welfare, expressing surprise at the Barca manager's comments and defending his decision to include the teenager.
Luis de la Fuente has dismissed Hansi Flick’s complaints about Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal, saying he’s “not interested” in the Barcelona coach’s criticism. Flick was angered after the teenager was given painkillers on international duty, sparking fears of long-term damage. Now, Barca are carefully managing his recovery ahead of a key Champions League showdown.
The Spanish football federation has hit back at Barcelona after Hansi Flick accused the national team of ignoring the possibility of Lamine Yamal suffering a potential injury. The teenager will not be available for the game against Valencia, which made Flick furious. However, the Spanish FA has clarified that they conducted all medical checks on Yamal.