The preparations for the Catalan giants took an unexpected turn on Tuesday evening as the squad took to the pitch at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah without their most dangerous attacking outlet. Yamal was the notable absentee as the team went through their final drills before Wednesday’s crucial encounter with the Basque outfit.
According to reports from the camp, the youngster did not step onto the grass with his teammates due to a "general feeling of unwellness." The club has notably stopped short of issuing a formal medical report, a detail that has led close observers to believe that the issue is not a significant injury or a long-term problem. Instead, the decision to keep him away from the main group appears to be a calculated risk management strategy to ensure he has the best possible chance of recovering in time for kick-off.
While the rest of the squad acclimatised to the conditions in Saudi Arabia, the forward remained inside the facility to undergo "specific work" in the gymnasium. This tailored regime suggests that the physical staff are attempting to manage his load while he fights off the minor illness.
This is not the first time in recent weeks that the Spanish international has caused alarm by missing the final session before a match. A similar scenario unfolded just last weekend ahead of the La Liga fixture against Espanyol. Two days prior to the derby, he was absent from training, citing a similar sense of general discomfort. Despite the lack of preparation time on the grass, he was named in the starting line-up for the match and completed the fixture.
