Spain coach Luis de la Fuente expressed confidence Wednesday that Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal will recover from a knee injury in time to face England in the Nations League on Sunday in Madrid. The 19-year-old sustained inflammation and fluid in his knee during Barcelona's 2-1 La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday and has been ruled out of Spain's Thursday fixture against the Czech Republic in Prague. De la Fuente stated he expected Yamal to rejoin the squad by Friday following treatment and recovery exercises with his club's medical team.
The coach dismissed suggestions that Yamal receives preferential treatment, emphasizing that Spain would apply identical protocols for any injured player. De la Fuente noted that his team's medical staff maintains strong collaboration with Barcelona's medical personnel, which informed the decision to allow Yamal extra rest rather than risk further complications.
Spain has won all four Group A3 matches and extended their unbeaten competitive streak to 43 games. De la Fuente highlighted the squad's motivation to continue their winning run, with midfielder Mikel Merino noting his willingness to accept a substitute role while remaining focused on contributing crucial goals when called upon.
