New concerns arise as Yamal suffers the most fouls
Recently, when Yamal’s Spanish teammate Álvaro Morata was asked to name the best footballer in the world, he replied, “Lamine Yamal.” Some compare him to Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona. Naturally, such a footballer instils fear in the hearts of opposing players.
He hasn't yet crossed the age of 17. But does talent adhere to age? It's through sheer talent that Lamine Yamal has already established his dominance on the football stage at such a young age. Some even consider him one of the best footballers of the moment.
Recently, when Yamal's Spanish teammate Álvaro Morata was asked to name the best footballer in the world, he replied, "Lamine Yamal." Some compare him to Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona. Naturally, such a footballer instils fear in the hearts of opposing players.
When they cannot stop him by legal means, they resort to fouling. It's not new in football history for top stars to be targeted with fouls. From Maradona to today's Messi and Neymar, many have frequently faced such situations. So why should Yamal, who's compared to Messi, be any exception?
The statistics for this season also tell the same story. According to the sports media outlet ESPN, Yamal has been fouled the most this season, including in the national team and Europe's top five leagues. He has been fouled a total of 38 times.
Although these fouls have not yet caused any major injury, concerns are certainly arising around Yamal. Recently, the winger was left out of Spain's Nations League squad during the international break. Last Saturday, Yamal suffered an injury in Spain's 1-0 victory over Denmark.
He had to leave the field before the match ended. Afterwards, to avoid further risk, Spain's coach De La Fuente excluded him from the squad for the second match against Serbia. Yamal returned to Barcelona. Following tests, Barcelona announced that Yamal had sustained a muscle strain.
It is expected that this injury won't keep the Spanish star out for too long. According to ESPN, although Yamal's participation in the La Liga match against Sevilla is uncertain, he is likely to return in time for the Champions League match against Bayern Munich.
As a result, there isn't much uncertainty about his availability for El Clásico on 26 October. However, there remains a lingering concern. If the current spate of fouls against Yamal doesn't stop, it could pose a serious risk to him at any moment.