Countdown to Yamal’s Return

The best news for FC Barcelona may be just around the corner: Lamine Yamal could return sooner than expected. The young winger, who missed recent matches due to injury, is making steady progress in his recovery and is now expected to be available for El Clásico against Real Madrid on October 26.

At first, Hansi Flick caused concern when he admitted he couldn’t guarantee the player’s availability for the Bernabéu showdown. However, the work of Barça’s medical staff is paying off — the 17-year-old’s recovery is going so well that his return could even come before the season’s biggest game.

Could Return Against Girona

The club’s fitness team has created an intensive recovery plan to get him back as quickly as possible, and current timelines suggest that Yamal could reappear against Girona. While he likely won’t play the full 90 minutes, the goal is for him to get a few minutes to regain match rhythm before facing Madrid.

If there are no setbacks, the forward is expected to rejoin group training on October 18, making him available for the Champions League clash against Olympiacos on the 21st — and fully fit for El Clásico.

No Call-Up, but Positive Signs

During this international break, Lamine Yamal did not travel with Spain’s national team. Although Luis de la Fuente initially called him up, he later withdrew the player after receiving Barça’s medical report confirming a mild recurrence of his previous injury.

That incident had sparked tension between Flick and the Spanish federation after the Barça coach questioned the player’s workload with La Roja. This time, the club chose caution — and the results seem to justify it. Lamine Yamal is getting closer to his comeback, right on time for the most anticipated game of the year.