Lamine Yamal Returns to Spain Squad After Barcelona Injury Dispute

Lamine Yamal has returned to Spain's squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers after recovering from a groin injury that sparked a public dispute between Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and Spain's national team. Flick criticized Spain for allegedly playing Yamal while injured during September matches, but Spain coach Luis de la Fuente defended the medical handling, stating players are only selected if healthy and fit to play. Yamal recently made his comeback with Barcelona, assisting a winning goal against Real Sociedad and playing a full match against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Despite Barcelona's concerns about his call-up so soon after injury, de la Fuente included Yamal in the squad alongside other Barcelona players for matches against Georgia and Bulgaria. Barcelona sporting director Deco has since engaged with the Spanish Football Federation to improve communication between club and country regarding player fitness. Yamal's return is highly valued by both his club and the national team, with coaches and teammates praising his talent and impact on the pitch.