Spanish-Moroccan youngster Lamine Yamal’s return delayed  

Spanish international of Moroccan descent Lamine Yamal could be marooned on the sidelines for close to two weeks due to an injury setback.

Yamal returned to Barcelona injured after representing Spain during the September international break, missing the sides La Liga clash against Valencia. In his absence, the Catalan giants cruised to a resounding 6-0 win over Valencia to close the gap on Real Madrid.

The 18-year-old skillful winger is set to miss the sides UEFA Champions League clash against Newcastle United on Thursday night.

He was expected to return to action for Barcelona this weekend, but his situation has worsened, delaying his return to the field. The winger could miss Barcelona’s games in the La Liga against Getafe and Real Oviedo,

Yamal, who also has Equatorial Guinea roots in the most realistic scenario is for him to return for a few minutes against Real Sociedad. Meanwhile, the primary goal remains to have him 100% ready for the European summit against Paris Saint-Germain, scheduled for October 1 in Barcelona, with the identity of the host stadium still to be determined.

Yamal’s ordeal began during the Levante match on August 23, when he felt pain in his groin area. His pain intensified after the match against Rayo Vallecano on August 31.

After participating with the Spanish national team in the World Cup qualifiers, he was forced to stop, as he played more than 70 minutes in Spain’s great victory over Türkiye (6-0).

Meanwhile, Yamal continues his daily physical therapy sessions and his personal recovery program, but the club’s management and medical staff will not risk fielding him before his full recovery, given the complex nature of the injury, which could lead to a relapse if he returns too soon.