THE 18-year-old Barcelona and Spain winger was forced off during the match against Celta Vigo after picking up a hamstring injury, shortly after scoring a penalty he had won himself.
Medical tests later confirmed a muscle injury in his left hamstring, meaning he will not play again for Barcelona this season.
It is a setback for the club as they head into the final stretch of the competition, although there is relief that the injury is not as serious as first feared.
Online, many fans expressed concern they might not see the ‘Golden Boy’ feature in one of the biggest tournaments of the decade.
Barcelona have confirmed he will not need surgery and will instead recover with rest and treatment.
There is now widespread relief among football fans, with Yamal expected to be fit in time for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.
That is a major boost for Spain, also known as ‘La Roja’, with Yamal already an important part figure of the national team despite his young age.
For Barcelona, attention now turns to finishing the season strongly as they continue to lead La Liga ahead of Real Madrid by 18 points.
Yamal has been one of the standout young players in Europe this season, delivering key performances for both club and country.
While Barcelona will be without him for the run-in, Spain will take encouragement from the fact their rising star should be back for football’s biggest stage.
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