‘No panic over Lamine Yamal’ – Luis de la Fuente prioritises long-term Spain vision

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente sought to calm concerns over Lamine Yamal’s absence, stressing the young winger’s long-term value to the national side ahead of Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia.

De la Fuente downplayed the controversy, focusing on Spain’s immediate mission to secure qualification.

The 18-year-old Barcelona star, who is of Spanish-Moroccan and Equatoguinean descent, was withdrawn from Spain’s squad on Tuesday after undergoing treatment for a groin injury.

The procedure, an invasive radiofrequency treatment on Monday, coincided with the start of Spain’s training camp, prompting questions about squad management and player availability.

De la Fuente described the situation as unusual but reassured that it was handled with the player’s best interests in mind.

“The best news is that he has 15 years left with us,” he told reporters on Friday, highlighting the focus on Yamal’s long-term development rather than short-term absence.

Yamal has already made a significant impact this season, contributing six goals and six assists in 11 appearances for Barcelona despite missing five matches due to the injury.

The young talent has also been capped 23 times for Spain, underlining his importance to both club and country.

Spain currently lead Group E with 12 points from four matches, scoring 15 goals without conceding.

Victory against Georgia, combined with favorable results elsewhere, would secure qualification for next year’s World Cup.

De la Fuente emphasised the team’s focus on performance rather than speculation.

“Our aim is to qualify for the World Cup. Regardless of the results in this phase, we want to win to secure our place in the qualifiers, and that means fighting, working hard and doing things right to give ourselves the best chance of winning,” he said.

The manager also urged caution despite Spain’s 29-match unbeaten run in competitive games.

“It’s very difficult to win and we want to continue on our path, but one game at a time and one day at a time,” he added, stressing the need to stay grounded while maintaining momentum.