The truth about Lamine Yamal's pubalgia

Barcelona"There's been a lot of talk about my pubalgia, that I was sad... And it was all a lie [...] I've always been happy, focused on myself to get back to my best level, which is when I enjoy myself the most." These statements by Lamine Yamal are from early November. After playing, probably his best match of the season in Bruges (3-3), The young talent from Rocafonda addressed the comments surrounding the injury that has officially justified his absence from five matches with Barça and two international breaks. His health has been a source of conflict between the coaching staffs of the Spanish national team and Barça, with strong messages exchanged between Luis de la Fuente and Hansi Flick. In fact, at the height of this dispute, at the end of the September international break, the Barça coach accused his Spanish counterpart of "not taking care" of his players, of administering painkillers to mask their discomfort. But to what extent has Lamine Yamal's case always been handled with medical certainty? Where does the Mataró native's injury stand now? Is it really "all a lie"?

First of all, if we consider that experts say pubalgia is primarily treated with load management, we can easily conclude that Lamine Yamal's condition has at least improved considerably. Just look at his performances on the pitch in recent weeks. Since the October international break, which he avoided by again citing groin discomfort, he has started every official match. He was only substituted in a crucial situation during the Barça-Girona game on October 18, with the score tied 1-1. The other times Flick has given him brief rests (Olympiacos, Elche, Chelsea, Atlético de Madrid, and Eintracht Frankfurt) it has been either in games that were already decided or because an extra dose of defensive intensity was needed to maintain close results. It is also noteworthy that Tuesday at the Guadalajara field, In a theoretically favorable scenario, he would play every minute. In contrast, Raphinha Dias and Ferran Torres watched the entire match from the bench.

According to sources at the Joan Gamper Training Ground, if Flick hasn't been sparingly distributing Lamine Yamal's magic, it's primarily because the young player's attitude has improved. The coach himself has acknowledged this in public appearances. "Lamine has changed, he's much better now, he trains well, also in the gym," he stated, for example, before visiting Celta Vigo's stadium. These words reinforce the internal feeling regarding the inconsistency shown by the Rocafonda winger at the beginning of the season, when he did experience some discomfort in his adductor and abdominal area. "If the boy is playing more regularly now, it's because he's stepped up his game and is more focused. The manager has pushed him hard to be careful in training," sources in Sant Joan Despí explain, where they also point to Jorge Mendes' intervention as key in getting Lamine Yamal more disciplined in his daily routine. It was far too common, for example, to see the young star's car arriving late to training, which is why the Portuguese super-agent traveled to Barcelona at the end of October to bring some order to his client's life.

Lamine Yamal: How to bring order to the life of a teenage talent

The pubalgia has been a factor. But Barça, fully aware that their chances of success this season depend on having the best version of the number 10 from Rocafonda, has also amplified it when it suited them to protect their interests. Several examples illustrate this. After the September break, which opened Pandora's box with De la Fuente and the Spanish Federation, the club took advantage of Lamine Yamal's two weeks (four matches) of inactivity to teach him the importance of proper rest, effective recovery, and adequate gym work to prevent discomfort. Before the October break, Lamine Yamal also avoided international duty by citing the pubalgia. However, Flick lamented that he spent part of those days off from competition going on a trip to Croatia instead of consistently working on his fitness. Shortly after, as if that weren't enough, the young player ignited the pre-match hype surrounding a Clásico in the Kings League, prompting the club to begin limiting his promotional appearances. More behind-the-scenes work. Finally, with the November international break approaching, another clever move by Barça once again exempted Lamine Yamal from Luis de la Fuente's squad. This time, the strategy involved summoning a Finnish expert on groin injuries to provide a medical report that would free him from two unnecessary procedures for the matches against Georgia and Turkey.

On the cusp of Christmas, with his groin pain under control and his routine being reorganized, Lamine Yamal has picked up speed with the World Cup and the Champions League firmly in his sights. But along the way, he has required intensive care. It shouldn't be forgotten that he is only 18 years old.