Spanish champions Barcelona have been dealt a major blow with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal ruled out of the season with a torn hamstring.
The 18-year-old suffered the injury after scoring the decisive penalty kick in their 1-0 win over Celta Vigo on Wednesday night.
He limped off with the help of the medical staff as he could not continue and had to be substituted, with Roony Bardghji entering the fray.
Yamal, who has already dealt with pubalgia earlier in the campaign, will now have to finish the season without their star forward.
“Tests this Thursday have confirmed that first-team player Lamine Yamal has suffered a hamstring injury in his left leg”, Barcelona revealed in a statement.
“The player will follow a conservative treatment plan. He will miss the remainder of the league season but is expected to be available for the World Cup.”
Yamal has been a bright spark for Barcelona this season and despite his young age, he has been the club’s best performer this season.
He has scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists in the La Liga this season, with the Catalan giants currently nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the standings with only six games left to play this season.
While he is expected to miss the remainder of the season for Barcelona, he will be fit in time for the World Cup this summer, in a major boost for Spain.
The champions will now hope to see the season out without further injuries and will be hoping to have Brazilian forward Raphinha back with Yamal out.
Barcelona’s remaining matches this season begins against Getafe this weekend, while they will still welcome Real Madrid to the Camp Nou on May 10, in a match that could go on to decide the title winners.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
