The club versus country row between Barcelona and Spain has escalated after Luis de la Fuente called up Lamine Yamal for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The Spain boss fired back at Hansi Flick's complaints about player welfare, expressing surprise at the Barca manager's comments and defending his decision to include the teenager.
De la Fuente vs Flick continues
The Spain manager has hit back at Flick’s criticism over the handling of Yamal after naming the teenager in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. During a press conference, De la Fuente expressed his surprise at the Barcelona manager's complaints, escalating the club-versus-country row over the 18-year-old's fitness.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportDe la Fuente 'surprised' by Flick's criticism
The conflict ignited last month when Flick accused the Spanish setup of mismanaging Yamal, but De la Fuente has now fired back directly. When questioned about the Barca boss’s comments, he responded: "I was simply surprised by those statements because he was a national team coach, and I believed he had that empathy."
He doubled down on his stance, adding: "Likewise, I say that he was a coach and knows how we players behave. That's what surprises me, that a former coach would have that opinion."
De la Fuente attempted to steer the focus away from the dispute, stating, "We're playing for the World Cup, that's what's really important. The rest isn't important."
The background to the Barcelona vs Spain row
Flick’s anger stemmed from the previous international break in September, where Yamal aggravated a groin injury after reportedly being given painkillers to play for Spain against Bulgaria and Turkey. The Barcelona manager was left seething, as the injury subsequently ruled the winger out of four key club matches. "He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play," Flick said last month. "He played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this.”
Yamal's workload and current status
Despite reports that Barcelona intended to block the call-up, Yamal has been included in the 26-man squad. The situation is being monitored closely, with De la Fuente confirming the federation is in contact with the club. "We talk to all the players; we know how they're doing firsthand," he said. "We'll see how Lamine develops this weekend and see how much participation he has." The winger's workload has come under wider scrutiny, with a recent FIFPRO report highlighting the "alarming" number of minutes he has played at such a young age.
