Lamine Yamal, withdrawn from the National Team: the RFEF lashes out at FC Barcelona

Lamine Yamal has been withdrawn from the Spanish National Team following an incident that has caused displeasure within the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The young forward for FC Barcelona underwent a medical treatment without prior notice to the Federation's medical staff, which has provoked a firm response from the organization.

According to an official statement from the RFEF, the 18-year-old winger was treated with an invasive radiofrequency procedure to alleviate discomfort in his pubic area. The issue was not the treatment itself, but the lack of prior communication with the national team's medical staff, who learned of the intervention late on Monday, November 10th, the same day the training camp began for the matches against Georgia and Turkey.

A Statement Reflecting Tension with Barça

The Federation's statement not only confirmed Lamine Yamal's withdrawal but also hinted at a direct criticism of Barça. According to the text, the medical services received the news "with astonishment and displeasure," emphasizing that detailed information about the procedure only arrived hours later, at 10:40 PM, via a medical report recommending 7 to 10 days of rest.

Given this situation, and "with the aim of prioritizing the player's health, safety, and well-being," the RFEF officially announced that Lamine was released from the squad. The organization added a message of support wishing him a speedy recovery, although the overall tone of the statement was clearly one of reproach towards the Catalan club.

Barça's Position and the Legal Framework

Sources close to FC Barcelona recall that the club is not obligated to request permission from the RFEF to perform medical treatments on its players, as long as these do not interfere with international commitments. However, the Federation's displeasure stems from the lack of sufficient advance notice, as the news arrived just a few hours before the training camp.

The case has reignited an old debate between clubs and federations regarding medical protocols and coordination between the two institutions. Barça maintains that the intervention was necessary to ensure the player's health, as he had been experiencing pubic discomfort for weeks and had already been treated conservatively at the club.

De la Fuente Annoyed by the Situation

The national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, did not hide his surprise at what happened. In statements to *Radio Nacional de España*, the coach admitted that "something like this has never happened to me before" and described the incident as "unusual." Despite this, he sought to downplay the matter, stating that the most important thing was the player's full recovery.

De la Fuente, who had counted on Lamine Yamal as a key player in his offensive strategy, will have to readjust his plans for the upcoming commitments. The Barça player, meanwhile, will remain in Barcelona following the recovery guidelines set by the club's medical services.

A New Source of Institutional Friction

The withdrawal has reopened the latent tension between Barça and the RFEF, in a context where the relationship between the two entities had already been delicate due to issues concerning the schedule, player loans, and medical communication. Although both parties officially maintain a cordial tone, the Federation's statement has been interpreted in Barça's offices as an "overreaction."

The Catalan club considers that the priority has always been the player's health and that the procedure performed did not compromise his international participation but rather aimed to prevent a more serious injury. Nevertheless, the situation has highlighted the need for closer coordination between the club's and the Federation's medical services to avoid future conflicts.

Lamine's Absence, a Setback for Flick Too

From a Barça perspective, the news has not gone unnoticed by Hansi Flick either. The Barça coach sees one of his most decisive players having to halt his progress for at least a week. The German coach had already managed the young winger's playing time in recent matches, aware of the discomfort he was experiencing.

Barça is confident that Lamine Yamal will be able to return to training before the next league match, provided the treatment progresses favorably. For now, the player will remain at the training facilities under medical supervision.

Meanwhile, the episode adds another chapter of disagreement between federations and clubs, where the case of Lamine Yamal could serve to review the medical communication protocols between the two parties.