Increasingly congested schedules have heightened tensions between clubs and national teams over player availability. Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick, echoing similar issues seen with PSG and France regarding Ousmane Dembele, confirmed Lamine Yamal would miss the Valencia game and criticized Spain coach Luis De La Fuente for ignoring Barcelona’s recommendations during the last FIFA window.
“Lamine won’t be available. It’s a shame. He went to the national team in pain and was given painkillers to play. He played 79 and 73 minutes without training between both matches. That’s not taking care of players. Spain has the best players in every position. Young players should be protected. I’m saddened by this situation,” Flick said.
The coach also noted communication challenges with De La Fuente, citing language barriers: “We’ve barely spoken. I sent a message once. I barely speak Spanish, he doesn’t speak English. Communication could be better. I’ve been in these situations before, and relationships were always better”.
Regarding the injury keeping Yamal out of the Valencia clash, Flick added: “It’s a minor pubis issue. He’ll be doubtful for Newcastle. Reports about his back are not true”.
Without their rising star, Barcelona will host Valencia on Sunday for LaLiga’s fourth matchday. Following a draw against Villarreal, the team will be looking to bounce back and keep pace with archrival Real Madrid, who have won all three of their opening games.
Barcelona to host Valencia in limited-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium
For Sunday’s clash against Valencia, Barcelona will play at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, normally home to the women’s and B teams, with a limited capacity of just 6,000 fans.
The decision comes as Camp Nou remains closed for extensive renovations that have been underway for over two years. Plans to use the Estadio Olimpico de Montjuic, which served as Barcelona’s temporary home last season, were not arranged in time for this fixture.
Flick addressed the unusual circumstances, saying: “I spoke with the players and the captain, and they said it won’t affect them. Playing here is different, but it shouldn’t impact us. We’ve handled situations like this before, against Como”.