Yamal gets no special treatment, says Spain coach

Detailed summary

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has dismissed claims that Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal received special treatment after joining the national squad lat Read More:…

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has dismissed claims that Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal received special treatment after being allowed to join the national team squad later than his teammates.

The 19-year-old was left out of Spain’s travelling squad for Thursday’s Nations League match against the Czech Republic after experiencing discomfort and inflammation in his right knee following Barcelona’s La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid.

Yamal remained in Barcelona to continue his recovery under the supervision of the club’s medical staff.

As reported by BBC Sport, speaking on Wednesday, De la Fuente explained that the decision was taken to avoid unnecessary travel and allow the winger to receive treatment.

“I decided that, to avoid the trip, it would be better for him to stay at home and continue treatment with his club,” the coach said.

He rejected suggestions that the Barcelona youngster was being given preferential treatment, insisting that the same arrangement would have been made for any other player in similar circumstances.

“Lamine Yamal doesn’t have any special privileges. We would have done this for any other player,” De la Fuente stated.

The Spain coach also expressed frustration over reports suggesting that the decision was influenced by Yamal’s status in the national team.

“What hurts me most is the lying, the lack of rigour, the absence of truthfulness and the fabrication. I can’t stand people who try to deceive you and lie,” he added.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Punch. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.