Lamine Yamal out of Champions League game with Newcastle, Barcelona confirm

Lamine Yamal has not been included in the Barcelona squad to face Newcastle United in the Champions League on Thursday after failing to recover from a groin injury.

The 18-year-old Spain forward, who also missed Barcelona’s 6-0 rout against Valencia on Sunday, sustained the injury over the international break, where he featured in victories over Bulgaria and Turkey.

Yamal’s injury drew a furious broadside from Hansi Flick on the eve of Valencia’s visit to the Camp Nou, with the Barcelona manager accusing the national side of failing to protect the teenager.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick ‘really sad’ about Lamine Yamal absence

“Lamine played with the national team despite pain,” said Flick. “He had problems, played 79 and 73 minutes, and didn’t even train between matches because of this pain. That is not really taking care of the players, is it? It is not. 

“Spain, they have the best team in the world, best players in the world. In every position they are unbelievably good. So maybe they will also want to take care of our players, our young players – but it’s like they are doing this [to them]. This is what I can say, and I’m really sad about this.”

Barcelona, who were beaten by Inter Milan in the semi-finals of last year’s competition, confirmed Yamal’s continued absence in a statement.

The club also said left-back Alejandro Balde and Spain midfielder Gavi would miss out, together with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who underwent back surgery this summer. Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who was also injured over the international break, returns to the squad.

Better communication

Yamal, who has inherited the iconic No 10 shirt once worn by Lionel Messi, has scored two goals and provided two assists in his three La Liga appearances this term. His injury absence has prompted Flick to contact his Spain counterpart Luis de la Fuente by text message to appeal for better communication between club and country.

“I was also on this side, as a national team coach,” said Flick, who joined Barcelona after three years in charge of Germany. “I know how hard sometimes the job is. 

“I never spoke [with De la Fuente]. I have had one conversation via text but I never spoke with him. My Spanish is not good, his English is not good, so maybe this is a problem. 

“But in the end I think the communication – because we have not only one player there, we have many players there – it could be better.”

Barcelona squad to face Newcastle

Araujo, Cubarsí, Ferran, Pedri, Lewandowski, Raphinha, Joan García, Rashford, Christensen, Fermín, M. Casado, Gerard Martin, Olmo, De Jong, Bernal, Kounde, Eric, Szczesny, Jofre, Roony, A Fernandez, Kochen.