It's his fault - Lamine Yamal 'brutally' told he's to blame for pelvis injury problems

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has already expressed his anger over the handling of teenage star Lamine Yamal. 

The 18-year-old is struggling with a painful pelvis problem. 

The injury came to light after he turned out for Spain in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Turkey. 

Yamal missed Barcelona’s 6-0 thrashing of Valencia and is a serious doubt for the Champions League opener against Newcastle United.

Speaking on the injury, Flick did not hold back.

 “Lamine goes to the national team with pain, did not train, had painkillers to play. That is not really taking care of the players, is it? I am really sad about this,” he told reporters.

Flick claimed poor communication between Barcelona and the Spanish federation only made the situation worse, and also pointed out that language barriers between the technical staff did not help.

But the Spanish federation has hit back quickly.

 They insisted Barcelona never formally reported that Yamal was carrying an injury. 

They also stressed that Fernando Galán, a physio trusted by both the club and the national side, saw no major issue. 

The row took a new twist when former Spain keeper Santiago Cañizares pointed the finger at Barcelona’s no.10  himself.

Speaking to SPORT and quoted by Football España, he said young footballers need to learn discipline off the pitch.

“Forget about the type of injury, but focus on the global one. You spend nine days with the national team, working, stuck in a hotel, travelling and playing two games… His thing is when you come, you rest. These things one learns. It is not all about making money, making ads,” he said.

Cañizares claimed Yamal must find balance between effort and rest. 

He pointed to reports that the winger recently filmed adverts and took part in a photo shoot to launch his own adidas boots. 

“These are things the child must learn. In the end he has 18 years of sunshine. He does not know everything either,” he added.

Away from the pitch, Yamal has been flaunting his relationship with Argentine singer Nicki Nicole, 25. 

The romance has sparked gossip online, and some fans even made bizarre jokes suggesting his pelvic pain is linked to his private life. 

The posts have been widely ridiculed but show the level of attention Yamal attracts.

The situation highlights the pressure on young stars.

 Yamal is already central for both Barcelona and Spain. 

He is also a rising commercial figure that has to balance football with endorsements, media duties and his personal life. 

Flick has made it clear that clubs want more control over how their players are managed during international duty.

Whether the blame lies with Spain, with Yamal himself or with the demands of modern football, the risk is obvious. 

A teenager who should be enjoying another stellar season is instead dealing with injury, criticism and intrusive speculation. 

Barcelona travel to St. James’ Park to play Newcastle on Thursday Sept. 18, in their opening match in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.