De la Fuente rejects preferential treatment claim over Yamal knee recovery

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has defended the decision to let Lamine Yamal remain with Barcelona for treatment rather than immediately report for international duty. According to BBC Sport's report on 12 November, De la Fuente denied that the arrangement amounted to preferential treatment and said the same approach would have been available to another player.

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Yamal, 19, had discomfort and inflammation in his right knee after Barcelona's La Liga win over Atletico Madrid. He stayed in Barcelona to work with the club's medical staff and did not travel with Spain for Thursday's Nations League fixture against the Czech Republic. The reported symptoms were the reason given for his delayed arrival.

Speaking on Wednesday, De la Fuente said he had decided that avoiding the journey would allow Yamal to continue receiving treatment at his club. His response followed reports in Spanish media suggesting that the winger had been treated differently because he was not required to join the national squad immediately. The coach rejected that characterisation of the decision.

The BBC reported that Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal was also expected to arrive late. Oyarzabal was recovering from flu and had recently welcomed his second child. The two players' delayed arrivals therefore came with different reported circumstances, rather than a single explanation covering both absences from the initial gathering.

Yamal's workload has remained a focus as he combines a prominent role at Barcelona with international appearances. The BBC put his club figures this season at 16 appearances, 13 goals and 12 assists. It also reported that he played 45 matches last season and had made 14 appearances for Spain during 2026, despite still being a teenager.

De la Fuente said Yamal's recovery was progressing well and that Spain expected him to join the group on Friday. The squad reunion was anticipated before Sunday's match against England, scheduled for 19:45 GMT. Those comments described an expected return to the camp, not confirmation that Yamal had already arrived or a guarantee that he would play.