Catalan media reported that Lamine Yamal was unable to participate in Barcelona’s final training session on Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s match against Valencia at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The 18-year-old had just returned to Barcelona after the international break, but has been plagued by pain in his groin area for the past two weeks.
According to Sport, Yamal complained of muscle discomfort that prevented him from participating in Saturday’s training session, leaving his availability for the Valencia match uncertain.
Hansi Flick announced in his press conference on Saturday that Yamal would miss the match against the Bats due to this injury.
In Yamal’s absence, youngster Ronnie Bardez will be available to replace him. Flick will likely push the Swede of Syrian descent into the starting lineup or make him the first-choice substitute in the second half.
It’s worth noting that Yamal participated in Spain’s two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Turkey, putting in a strong performance. He also played in Barça’s first three La Liga matches, scoring two goals and providing three assists.
