Spain's Rising Star Lamine Yamal Sidelined: The Real Reason Behind His Absence Against Georgia
Spain under Luis de la Fuente will take on Georgia with the knowledge that a win would virtually secure their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, though they must proceed without Lamine Yamal.
Yamal contributed three assists across Spain's opening two matches in UEFA's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, helping his team establish a dominant position in Group E. The young star was outstanding in La Roja's emphatic 6–0 triumph over Türkiye in September, a performance that has brought Spain to the edge of qualification.
A win against Georgia would leave only Türkiye capable of matching Spain's point total at the group summit—provided Türkiye defeats Bulgaria this Saturday.
While Türkiye could potentially draw level with Spain on points when these teams clash in next week's final qualifying round, La Roja would need to suffer a catastrophic 7–0 home defeat to surrender their group leadership, considering head-to-head records serve as the primary tiebreaker in UEFA qualifying.
In essence, a Spanish victory over Georgia on Saturday would secure their passage to next summer's competition. However, Yamal's departure from Spain's training camp earlier this week continues to dominate news coverage and will keep him out of La Roja action for the rest of 2025.
Why Lamine Yamal Isn't Playing for Spain vs. Georgia
Yamal remained with Spain's November squad for only one day before departing and returning to Barcelona last Monday following an "invasive radiofrequency treatment" to address his persistent groin problem.
De la Fuente issued a sharp response afterward, suggesting Barcelona acted without consulting the national team, revealing his shock upon learning of Yamal's medical procedure. The coach went so far as to state he had "never encountered such a situation before."
The Yamal injury controversy traces back to September, when after featuring in every minute of Spain's two qualifying matches, he returned to Barcelona only for the club to discover his injury status. Hansi Flick criticized La Roja's management of his key player, and Yamal subsequently missed five of Barça's following six fixtures.
Despite the ongoing dispute, both Spain and Barcelona prioritize Yamal's long-term fitness, which prompted De la Fuente to send the youngster back to Catalonia for continued rehabilitation. He's anticipated to return for Barça's match against Athletic Club following the international window.
In the absence of the Ballon d'Or runner-up, Real Sociedad's Mikel Oyarzabal emerges as the leading contender to start on the right flank against Georgia. Alternatively, De la Fuente might utilize Yamal's Barcelona teammate Ferran Torres in that position, given his proven versatility across the forward line.