‘That’s what surprises me!’ - Luis de la Fuente baffled by Hansi Flick’s lack of ‘empathy’ over Lamine Yamal injury feud as Spain boss says Barcelona coach's criticism 'not important'

The Spain manager has hit back at Flick’s criticism over the handling of Yamal after naming the teenager in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. During a press conference, De la Fuente expressed his surprise at the Barcelona manager's complaints, escalating the club-versus-country row over the 18-year-old's fitness.

The conflict ignited last month when Flick accused the Spanish setup of mismanaging Yamal, but De la Fuente has now fired back directly. When questioned about the Barca boss’s comments, he responded: "I was simply surprised by those statements because he was a national team coach, and I believed he had that empathy." 

He doubled down on his stance, adding: "Likewise, I say that he was a coach and knows how we players behave. That's what surprises me, that a former coach would have that opinion." 

De la Fuente attempted to steer the focus away from the dispute, stating, "We're playing for the World Cup, that's what's really important. The rest isn't important."

Flick’s anger stemmed from the previous international break in September, where Yamal aggravated a groin injury after reportedly being given painkillers to play for Spain against Bulgaria and Turkey. The Barcelona manager was left seething, as the injury subsequently ruled the winger out of four key club matches. "He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play," Flick said last month. "He played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this.”

Despite reports that Barcelona intended to block the call-up, Yamal has been included in the 26-man squad. The situation is being monitored closely, with De la Fuente confirming the federation is in contact with the club. "We talk to all the players; we know how they're doing firsthand," he said. "We'll see how Lamine develops this weekend and see how much participation he has." The winger's workload has come under wider scrutiny, with a recent FIFPRO report highlighting the "alarming" number of minutes he has played at such a young age.

Before joining the national team, Yamal faces Sevilla in La Liga. His fitness after these the high-intensity fixture will be crucial in determining his involvement for Spain in their qualifiers on October 11 and October 14. The decision to call him up ensures the tense standoff between club and country will continue, placing the management of one of world football's brightest talents firmly in the spotlight.