Barcelona receive Yamal injury boost ahead of derby and El Clasico

Barcelona have received a huge medical boost ahead of a packed list of fixtures, as teenage winger Lamine Yamal is expected to be available for selection immediately after the international break.

Yamal first suffered a groin issue during the September international break with Spain, which forced him to miss four matches for Barcelona across La Liga and other competitions (Valencia, Getafe, Newcastle, Real Oviedo). 

He rejoined Barcelona in time to feature against Real Sociedad, coming off the bench, and then played 90 minutes in the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. 

However, the problem re-emerged immediately after the PSG game: the pubic discomfort flared up again, prompting Barcelona to rule him out for approximately 2–3 weeks. 

 As a result, he missed the LALIGA match at Sevilla, which resulted in an embarrassing 4-1 defeat for Barcelona. The injury also effectively ruled him out of participation this international break.

Because of the relapse, there was uncertainty over his availability for the match against Girona (just after the international break) and possibly the fixture against Olympiacos.

However, Spanish publication Dario AS reported that his recovery is going as planned, and barring any unexpected setback, he will be available when they host Girona this weekend and, consequently, the subsequent game against Olympiacos in the Champions League and the El Clasico right after.