Lamine Yamal warned about 'downsides' of Barcelona and Spain stardom as Ivan Rakitic praises 'truly special' teenager

Yamal has rocketed to global fame amid his excellent performances for Barcelona and Spain. After winning Euro 2024 with Spain, the 18-year-old went on to score nine goals and set up a further 13 as Barcelona won La Liga under coach Hansi Flick and played an integral role in their Copa del Rey success. His influence resulted in him coming in second in the Ballon d'Or rankings, losing out to Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele. He is off to a solid start this season, too, scoring six and assisting five across La Liga and the Champions League as he continues to battle injury issues.

The astonishing start to the winger's career has sparked praise from across the football world, and ex-Barcelona star Rakitic is the latest to hail his talent.

The Croatian legend, who played for Barcelona for six seasons and won a treble alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, believes Yamal needs to be prepared for the difficulties that come with top-level football. 

"It's all going in the right direction, and he has become aware that football has its downsides, such as injuries and the pressure he faces," Rakitic said to Flashscore.

"I think he has to follow his own path; I wouldn't compare him to the three I mentioned [Messi, Suarez, Neymar]. Barcelona and Spain have something special in him, and we all need to help him learn to handle the pressure. He is a truly special player."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Yamal himself has recently outlined his ambitious goals for the future. After receiving the Di Stegano Award from Marca for the best player of the 2024-25 season, the 18-year-old declared his desire to win "everything," targeting a clean sweep of the La Liga title, Champions League, World Cup and the Ballon d'Or in 2026. "I want it all. I hope I achieve it all, and as long as we can play, it's possible," he said.

However, these ambitions are currently tempered by an injury concern. Yamal is navigating a recovery from pubalgia, a chronic groin issue that forced him out of Spain's recent World Cup qualifiers. Barcelona have implemented a cautious treatment plan involving radiofrequency therapy and rehabilitation. The treatment resulted in him withdrawing from the Spain national team a day after the team gathered ahead of the recent World Cup qualifying matches. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was left surprised, claiming Barcelona were late in notifying the governing body about the issue. 

"I've never experienced a situation like this before. I don't think it's very normal. It has surprised us all. You don't have any news, you don't know any details, and on top of that, it's a health issue, so you're left surprised," coach Luis de la Fuente said last week.

While he has since returned to partial group training, his participation in Barcelona's upcoming historic return to the Camp Nou against Athletic Club remains uncertain and would likely be minimal.

Barcelona are preparing for their emotional return to Camp Nou this Saturday against Athletic Club in La Liga. Yamal's involvement is in doubt due to his ongoing recovery from pubalgia, while Marcus Rashford is also a doubt after coming down with illness. However, Flick has confirmed goalkeeper Joan Garcia will start and Raphinha is also available again having recovered from injury. 

The club hope to ensure Yamal and Pedri are fit enough to start in the crucial Champions League encounter against Chelsea, which follows shortly after. Barcelona's medical team will continue to monitor their progress closely, alternating between individual work and controlled group sessions, with a focus on avoiding any setbacks that could lead to a longer lay-off.