Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has clarified his decision to include Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal in his latest national team squad while leaving out Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams.

The decision raised eyebrows as both players are currently managing pubalgia problems.

Yamal was forced to leave Spain’s training camp earlier in the week after undergoing treatment for the groin injury under Barcelona’s medical supervision.

The 18-year-old has been struggling for fitness over the past few months, frequently rotating in and out of Hansi Flick’s starting lineup.

De la Fuente Explains the difference

Speaking to Cadena SER, De la Fuente said the situations of both players were not comparable. He explained that while Yamal was deemed fit enough to join the squad initially, Williams’ condition was more concerning.

“The cases are different,” the Spain boss said. “Nico did not take part in the Champions League match on Wednesday and has a longer history of injuries.

His club decided to play him on Sunday, which is their choice, but that also means they take on the risk.”

He continued: “We saw that Nico didn’t feature in the previous match, showing he wasn’t ready for the upcoming important fixtures. Lamine, on the other hand, was ready.”