Barcelona look set to be without teenage winger Lamine Yamal for their Champions League opener against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park on Thursday.
The 17-year-old has been sidelined since returning from international duty with Spain, where he picked up a hip problem during World Cup qualifying.
His recovery has been managed at Barcelona’s training base, but he was ruled out of Sunday’s 6-0 league win over Valencia.
Treatment continues outside squad
Despite initial hopes that he could recover in time for Europe, Yamal has not rejoined group training sessions.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the youngster is “undergoing treatment outside the group and, barring a miracle, he is not expected to be able to take part in Barcelona’s European debut.”
This means manager Hansi Flick will have to prepare for Thursday’s trip to England without one of his brightest attacking options.
Yamal’s absence comes at a time when Barca are seeking to build strong presence in Europe following a mixed start to their domestic campaign.
Flick faces selection challenge
The injury leaves Flick with limited choices in wide areas, as Raphinha and Ferran Torres are expected to shoulder more responsibility.
Yamal’s situation has drawn criticism in Spain, with former international Santiago Cañizares recently suggesting that the youngster needs to better balance rest and commercial commitments to avoid overexertion.