Lamine Yamal has confirmed that he does not want to take any risks with his recovery ahead of the World Cup, as he will remain sidelined for the rest of the season with Barcelona.
The 18-year-old winger is recovering from a muscle injury in his left hamstring, suffered at the end of April. He provided an update on his condition during a Kings League event.
“I won’t touch a ball until the World Cup,” Yamal stated when asked whether he would take part in the president’s traditional penalty kick during his team La Capital’s semifinal.
According to reports, Barcelona are being extremely cautious with the recovery of the Spanish talent amid concerns that the Spanish national team could bring him back earlier than necessary for the tournament. Yamal’s recovery timeline was initially estimated at six to eight weeks, leaving uncertainty over his availability for the opening group-stage matches.
Spain begin their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15, before facing Saudi Arabia on June 21 and Uruguay on June 27.
In the most optimistic scenario, Yamal could be ready for the opening match, although a more cautious approach could delay his return until later in the group stage.
