Hansi Flick Drops Ominous Two-Word Warning About Lamine Yamal's Injury Ahead of El Clásico Showdown

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has acknowledged that it's uncertain whether Lamine Yamal will be available for the upcoming clash against Real Madrid this month—but after discussing with the young player, the current circumstances are "not positive".

After just returning from a groin problem sustained while on international service, Yamal finds himself sidelined once again due to a recurrence of the same concern, with the club estimating a recovery period of potentially three weeks.

This recovery window could potentially allow Yamal to feature in El Clasico versus Real Madrid on Oct. 26, though Flick has emphasized that his participation in the match remains far from guaranteed.

"I had a conversation with him today, there's improvement but it's still not positive," Flick disclosed. "This represents the current state with Lamine.

"Given this type of injury, it's challenging to determine [his return date]. It's difficult to declare, 'He'll be ready in two, three or four weeks...' or whether he'll be available for the Clásico. This cannot be predicted.

"We must be patient. We need to carefully monitor his workload. He's working with the rehabilitation group and [will continue] the coming weeks with them. We proceed gradually. We must observe how his progress develops."

Flick: No Second Thoughts About Spain Comments

Yamal's groin problem originated during the September international window with Spain. Flick was vocal in his harsh critique of the national squad, claiming they failed to safeguard Yamal and compelled him to compete while injured.

Spain's manager Luis de la Fuente has consistently dismissed Flick's concerns but recently acknowledged that Yamal was not at full fitness during the last international period.

When questioned about whether he had second thoughts regarding his stance on the matter, the Barcelona manager stated: "My goal is to shield my player, stand by him, that's what matters.

"Many events occurred. This chapter is, in my view, closed. I hold no negative feelings about this matter. I understand it from the opposite perspective [as a national team coach]. It's challenging for me. It's challenging for [De la Fuente]. I must safeguard my player; this is why I spoke more forcefully than I typically prefer. I have no regrets about this.

"Moving forward, what matters is collaborating on this. The athletes, the clubs and the Spanish Federation. We must work together on this."