Barcelona's Lamine Yamal will sit out the remainder of the domestic season due to a hamstring injury, but the club expects him to be ready for the World Cup this summer. The 18-year-old sustained the injury while scoring a penalty in Barcelona's 1-0 LaLiga win over Celta Vigo.
Following tests, the club announced that Yamal will undergo a conservative treatment plan, which will keep him sidelined for the rest of the league season but should allow him to participate in the World Cup. Yamal has been instrumental for Barcelona, with 16 goals and 11 assists in 28 LaLiga matches and an additional six goals and four assists in 10 Champions League appearances. He is also a vital player for Spain, having been named the young player of the tournament at Euro 2024 and scoring six goals in 25 appearances for the national team.
While his absence will be felt by Barcelona as they pursue LaLiga glory, Spain is expected to have him available for the World Cup, which kicks off on June 11. Barcelona currently leads the league by nine points with six games remaining, but Yamal will miss key matches, including a Clásico against Real Madrid on May 10.
Spain's first World Cup group game is against Cape Verde on June 15, and the team will hope Yamal has fully recovered by then.