Ex-Real Madrid star slams Barcelona for mismanaging Yamal's injury

Barcelona have been accused of managing Lamine Yamal's injury poorly by legendary Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares after the teenager's performance in the El Clásico showed that he was still some way from peak performance. 

Lamine Yamal first picked up the groin issue during Spain’s September 2025 international break; Barcelona confirmed the problem after he returned to the club, and he missed four matches while being managed through treatment and rest. 

He returned later that month and played the full 90 minutes in a subsequent Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain. 

The relief was short-lived: Barcelona said the groin problem “reappeared” following the PSG game and the club placed him on a 2–3 week absence, which saw him miss a LALIGA clash against Sevilla and Spain's World Cup qualifiers.

He returned immediately after the international break for the Catalan derby against Girona. However, he has not looked as sharp since. 

Yamal's performance in El Clásico brought his fitness problem to the fore, as he was barely involved and was reticent to take on his man. 

Medical professionals, including sports traumatologist Dr Zordro Luis Ripoll, explained that Yamal was still displaying symptoms of a groin injury, leading to suggestions that he was rushed back.

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Canizares echoed similar sentiments, opining that Barcelona have done a poor job managing Yamal's injury. "It’s not the best club for recovery. They have a lot of injuries, and some of them are relapses. This worries me more than giving Lamine a rest or two," he said, per Radio Marca.