Lamine Yamal injury: Will the Barcelona prodigy miss January’s Champions League matches too?

Barcelona teenage sensation Lamine Yamal sustained an ankle injury against Leganes, ruling him out for the upcoming three to four weeks.

Lamine Yamal injury: Will the Barcelona prodigy miss January’s Champions League matches too?

Lamine Yamal most recently sustained an injury against Leganes, and is set to remain out of the Barcelona squad. (via Bein Sports)

FC Barcelona have been handed a new setback ahead of the new year, as Lamine Yamal is set to be sidelined for the next few weeks. The 17-year-old suffered an ACL injury during the club’s dismal 1-0 defeat to Leganes in a recent La Liga encounter. 

Lamine Yamal was substituted off in the 75th minute of the match and was replaced by Gavi. The young forward ended the match with a total of three shots, 43 passes and five successful dribbles. A challenge on the young La Masia forward left him visibly in pain.

Later reports revealed that the 17-year-old has sustained a grade one anterior ligament tear in his ankle. He is now expected to be out for the next three to four weeks, remaining sidelined for some important matches for the Catalan club this month. 

FS Video
YouTube video

The teenager has been a crucial player under Hansi Flick this season, registering 18 goal involvements in 21 appearances for Barca in all competitions. He has scored six goals and provided 12 assists. The 17-year-old is set to remain out of the squad, when Barcelona host Atletico Madrid.

He might also fail to turn up for the club’s Copa del Rey encounter against Barbastro, and the Spanish Super Cup clash against Athletic Club. So, his participation in the club’s next UCL encounter against Benfica, also remains in doubt, and there are chances that he will not feature in those games.

Moreover, it marks Lamine Yamal’s second injury absence from the Barcelona squad this season. He had previously missed three matches for the club as well as for Spain last month. It was due to an injury in his ankle. The new one is, however, a more serious one.

RELATED
‘Devastated’ Pep Guardiola admits he isn’t good enough after brutal Manchester Derby defeat
Pep Guardiola not good enough

Ex-Barcelona skipper says that Lionel Messi comparisons can put ‘pressure’ on Lamine Yamal

Former Barcelona skipper and Spanish football legend Carles Puyol expressed that comparisons between youngster Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi might put ‘added’ pressure on the 17-year-old. The La Masia star has been enjoying a brilliant year, since winning the Euro 2024 title.

Lamine Yamal Lionel Messi Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol exclaimed that Lionel Messi comparison would put more pressure on Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal. (via Transfermarkt)

He has regularly been termed as a successor to Barcelona great Lionel Messi. Carles Puyol, however, suggested fans and the media to not put Messi’s label on the 17-year-old young talent. He added that it already creates maximum pressure on him to perform at the highest level. He also stated that the Argentine’s achievements cannot be emulated by any player. 

If we put the label of Leo [Lionel Messi] on him [Lamine Yamal], the pressure is already maximum… What Leo has done is incredible.

Carles Puyol on Yamal-Messi comparisons (via El Pais)
RELATED
Arsenal and Newcastle United want to sign the £90 million-rated ATTACKING star in January
Arsenal and Newcastle United want to sign the £90 million-rated ATTACKING star in January

Moreover, Puyol praised manager Hansi Flick, who helped Barca make a decent start to the new season. Under Flick, the club lost just one out of its first 12 league matches and clinched the top spot on the La Liga table.