A troubling development for both the Spain national team and Barcelona.
Lamine Yamal’s performance suddenly took a noticeable dip. The star forward was virtually invisible in Barcelona’s latest Clásico, leaving fans and pundits wondering why. The answer has now come from doctor Pedro Luis Ripoli — news that is far from encouraging for the Catalan club.
Barcelona faced Real Madrid in the season’s first Clásico last Sunday. Riding the confidence of last season’s four wins over their archrivals, coach Hansie Flick’s side hoped to secure another victory. Much of that hope was pinned on Yamal, who failed to deliver even half of what was expected.
The result? Barcelona, the current La Liga champions, lost 2-1 at Santiago Bernabéu.
Since the match, Yamal’s performance has sparked widespread discussion and criticism. For a player who finished second in this year’s Ballon d’Or race, his subdued showing in such a critical match was a major disappointment.
While he faced intense marking from the opposition, his movement was noticeably affected. The signature skill that allows Yamal to accelerate, find space, and execute dynamic shots was completely absent in this game.
Experts now attribute this to a persistent groin problem, which has recently limited his influence on the pitch.
Well-known sports traumatologist Luis Ripoli explained:
“This is an injury that is quite difficult to manage. The pain reduces a player’s movement and shot-making ability by about 50%, which is exactly what we saw in the Clásico.
“He attempted very few shots on goal and even running at full pace was a struggle. A player can still participate with this pain, but he cannot perform at his best, and the overall quality of his game drops significantly.”
Yamal’s injury issues began last month, after returning from national team duty. The Barcelona coach even raised concerns directly with the Spain national team about the toll it had taken.
In the first two and a half months of this season, Yamal has suffered two separate injuries. It is now clear that the lingering effects of this groin problem could affect him for weeks — or even months — if he is not carefully managed.
Ripoli stressed that proper care is essential for the 18-year-old forward to fully recover, underscoring how crucial this is for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
