Spain are traveling to Prague without their most dangerous attacker. The Spanish Football Federation confirmed on Monday that Lamine Yamal has been left out of Luis de la Fuente’s squad for Thursday’s Nations League tie against the Czech Republic after picking up a knee knock in Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Atlético Madrid a day earlier, according to ESPN’s report on the federation statement.
The 19-year-old winger will stay in Catalonia for treatment over the coming days rather than join up at the squad’s Las Rozas base. The plan is to get him back with the group in time to face England four days later.
A knock, not a tear
Yamal pulled up with pain in his right knee at Atlético on Sunday and did not finish the game, though he had already helped set up Fermín López for Barcelona’s winner. Monday’s medical checks reportedly found no structural damage, and sources close to the club have said there is little cause for alarm.
With Spain already through to the Nations League quarter-finals, there was no need to force the issue in Prague. The England fixture is the one that matters this window, both for group pride and as a dress rehearsal for a potential later meeting between the two sides.
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Oyarzabal joins him on the treatment table
Yamal is not the only name missing. Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal has also been ruled out of the Czechia trip after being struck down by a bout of flu, Reuters reported via a federation update, with the forward resting at home in San Sebastián under daily medical review. De la Fuente has called in Jorge de Frutos to help cover the forward line after Ander Barrenetxea’s earlier withdrawal with an injury.
The federation’s line on the pair was clear: “Both players will join the camp in the coming days to be available to face England at the Estadio Metropolitano,” the RFEF said in a statement carried by Marca.
What Spain lose, what England walk into
Yamal has become the natural reference point of this Spain attack since De la Fuente handed him regular minutes. The RFEF’s handling of the knee problem reads as risk management: protect the asset for Sunday, when Spain host as reigning European champions and a result against England could decide the group.
The winger is pencilled in to rejoin the squad in Madrid later in the week, with treatment in Barcelona continuing in the meantime. A final call on whether he starts, comes off the bench or sits the match out will be made closer to kick-off.
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Kick-off at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano is set for 8:45pm local time on Sunday, 15 November, according to the England FA match centre.
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