The teenager’s importance for both club and country is already great, and Barca must now try to clinch the title without their star winger.
| Barcelona and Spain markets | Odds |
|---|---|
| Barcelona to score under 1.5 goals vs Getafe | 2.00 |
| Cape Verde +3 Handicap vs Spain | 1.67 |
| Spain to reach the World Cup semi-finals | 2.37 |
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
- Score sports bonuses at sign up with the bet365 bonus code
- Cover your first bet with a First Bet Shield from BetVictor
- Play with the best sports betting sites in Canada when betting on sports online
Barcelona’s title pursuit rocked by Yamal injury
There was real cause for concern on Wednesday night as Yamal limped off against Celta Vigo. He had just scored a penalty to put his team ahead in a game they went on to win 1-0.
Barcelona restored their nine-point advantage over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga as a result of the victory. However, all of the talk after the game was understandably about the 18-year-old’s fitness.
The Catalan giants have since confirmed that Yamal sustained a left hamstring injury. They made it clear that he will miss all of the final six league games.
While their lead is a big one, Barca do have some tricky remaining fixtures. Four of their games are away, while their last two opponents at Camp Nou are Real Madrid and Real Betis.
With Raphinha also currently out, Barcelona’s attacking threat will be greatly downgraded. The Brazilian is expected to be fit for El Clasico on Sunday, 10 May. However, there is now no prospect of Yamal taking his place in that potentially crucial game.
The 18-year-old was enjoying his most productive club season yet, with 16 goals and 11 assists in 28 league appearances. He has registered 41 goal contributions across all competitions.
The good news for his country is that Yamal should be fit to take part in his first World Cup. Initial fears pointed towards a potential two-month lay-off. However, a return in time to play some part in Spain’s first match against Cape Verde now appears likely.
Can Barca and Spain cope without the teenager?
Barcelona’s record without Yamal last season was poor. They lost four of their seven La Liga matches when he didn’t start. With the teenager, they won 26 out of 31, losing only twice.
This term, Yamal was hampered by a sports hernia problem earlier in the campaign. However, he has only missed four league games. One of those was a 4-1 defeat to Sevilla in October, but Barca did win the other three.
Without either of their first-choice wingers, Hansi Flick’s team could really struggle against in-form Getafe on Saturday. Barca have a poor recent record at the Coliseum. They’ve not won there since 2019.
Remarkably, the Catalans have netted just one goal away to Getafe since that win seven years ago. Given their selection issues, backing the visitors to score under 1.5 goals offers value on their latest visit.
Barcelona also lost at Osasuna last season, when Yamal was rested. Betting against the league leaders could be the smart play again when they head to El Sadar next weekend.
As for Spain, they won’t be too concerned by news of Yamal’s injury. It may even benefit them in some ways, given he has already made 46 starts for club and country this season. With the winger rarely replaced early, that’s a lot of minutes for a teenager.
The 18-year-old will have group-stage matches against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay to rebuild his match fitness. La Roja should comfortably progress, even if Yamal isn’t at his best initially.
Given there are also concerns about Nico Williams’ form and fitness, Spain could find it tough going on Matchday one. Backing Cape Verde with a +3 handicap could be the smart play.
Yamal should be getting close to his best level in time for the knockout stage. This injury will therefore have little impact on Spain’s overall World Cup chances. With quality across the pitch, they are worth backing to reach the semi-finals with an implied probability of 42.1%.