Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has expressed his frustration with Barcelona over the recent controversy involving teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who was withdrawn from the national team camp due to an alleged injury.
Speaking to the Spanish press, De la Fuente made his stance clear, saying he expects “Barcelona to respect my decisions” following the confusion surrounding the player’s status. “In the morning I was with Lamine to reassure him, as he wanted to stay with us,” the coach said. “Lamine is a player who’s fully committed to the national team. He wanted to remain for personal reasons, but it was impossible. We were with him, we said goodbye to him, and he also said goodbye to all his teammates.”
The Spanish tactician admitted he was left stunned by the sudden developments, which saw Yamal sent back to Barcelona after reports of a muscle issue surfaced. “I’m shocked, I’ve never been through a situation like this before, and I don’t think it’s normal at all,” De la Fuente said, suggesting a lack of communication between the two camps.
