Lamine Yamal set to miss Newcastle clash as Barcelona look to resolve injury feud with Spanish FA following Hansi Flick criticism

Barcelona are moving to de-escalate the club-versus-country row with the RFEF over the handling of Yamal's fitness. According to Marca, Blaugrana sporting director Deco is set to hold talks with the RFEF's technical director, Aitor Karanka, to improve communication protocols after Barca manager Hansi Flick publicly criticised the national team's management of the winger during the recent international break.

The dispute erupted after Yamal, who had joined the Spain camp with a pre-existing groin issue, played significant minutes against both Bulgaria and Turkey. Flick did not hold back in his assessment of the situation, accusing Spain coach Luis de la Fuente of negligence. 

"Lamine already went to the national team in pain. He took painkillers and played with the national team in pain," Flick stated. "He had problems, and played 79 and 73 minutes. That's not looking after the players. The Spanish national team has the best players in the world, but we should be looking after the professionals. Also the young players."

The 18-year-old's pre-existing discomfort has since developed into a groin injury, causing direct consequences for his club. Yamal was ruled out of Barcelona's emphatic 6-0 La Liga victory over Valencia on Sunday and Mundo Deportivo says it will take "a miracle" for him to be fit for the Champions League opener against Newcastle after he was unable to train with his team-mates on Monday. The RFEF was reportedly aware of his condition, not least because a national team physiotherapist also works with Yamal at Barcelona.

While both parties are now keen to consider the public controversy "settled," the focus has shifted to preventing future conflicts. The upcoming talks between Deco and Karanka are aimed at establishing clearer and more robust communication channels for managing players who report for international duty with minor ailments. The goal is to create a more collaborative approach to protect player welfare and avoid similar feuds, especially with a prodigious young talent like Yamal at the centre of the issue.