Barcelona Receive Injury Boost with Lamine Yamal’s Early Return to Training

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has made a positive recovery from his recent ankle injury, returning to light training ahead of next week’s Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia.

Yamal’s Early Return from Injury

The 17-year-old was initially ruled out for up to four weeks following an ankle injury on December 16. He missed Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid before the winter break in Spain and was also a major doubt for the Supercopa semifinal, where Barça is set to face Athletic Club in Jeddah next Wednesday.

However, Yamal has made an unexpected recovery, returning to training earlier than anticipated. On Thursday, he participated in a session ahead of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey fixture against Barbastro on Saturday. While he is unlikely to feature in that match, Yamal’s return opens the possibility of his involvement in the Supercopa tournament.

Supercopa and Potential Clásico Final

The Supercopa will see Barcelona meet Athletic Club in the semifinal on January 10, with a potential Clásico final against Real Madrid on the line. Madrid will face Mallorca in their semifinal on January 9, and should both teams advance, a Clásico final will be held on January 12 in Jeddah.

Yamal’s Impact for Barcelona

Since Hansi Flick took over at the start of the season, Lamine Yamal has been one of the standout performers for Barcelona. The winger has been instrumental in the team’s attack, contributing six goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances across all competitions. Yamal’s pace and skill have been key in a dynamic frontline alongside Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.

Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor’s Registration Issue

While Yamal’s return provides a boost, there is still uncertainty regarding Dani Olmo’s participation for the rest of the season. LaLiga recently unregistered Olmo and striker Pau Víctor after Barcelona failed to meet the December 31 deadline to extend their registrations for the second half of the season.

LaLiga stated that Barcelona did not provide sufficient financial guarantees to comply with financial fair play rules for registering the duo. Barcelona remains optimistic, asserting that the sale of VIP boxes at the redeveloped Spotify Camp Nou will generate enough revenue to register both players.

Updates Expected Soon

More developments are expected on Friday, with a source telling ESPN that Barcelona will offer a full explanation of the situation, which could have important implications for their squad in the coming months.

Key Takeaways:

• Lamine Yamal returns to light training ahead of the Spanish Supercopa, offering a boost for Barcelona.
• Yamal missed Barça’s defeat to Atlético Madrid but could be available for the Supercopa semifinal.
• Real Madrid and Barcelona are both eyeing a potential Clásico final in Jeddah.
• Yamal has contributed six goals and 11 assists this season, becoming one of the team’s key players.
• Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor face registration issues, with Barcelona yet to resolve the situation.