YAMAL'S LACK OF INJURY IS "NO SURPISE": BARCA HAS HISTORY OF OVERUSING YOUNG STARS
Lamine Yamal suffered an injury after playing nearly 4,000 minutes this season.
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Yamal's Injury Was Predictable
Lamine Yamal suffered an injury during the match between Barcelona and Celta Vigo. Interestingly, the incident that led to the young Spanish talent's injury was quite ordinary. It was just a relatively minor collision in the penalty area. Evidence of this is that Yamal was still able to successfully convert the penalty kick and then walked into the tunnel after a few minutes on the pitch.
According to AS, the initial diagnosis is a hamstring tear, requiring approximately 5 weeks of recovery. However, Barcelona needs to wait for a medical examination on April 23rd (local time) to determine the exact severity of the problem.
Yamal's injury comes just days after legend Ruud Gullit expressed concern about the young Spanish talent's health, and now that concern has become a reality.
How Did This Unusual Event Happen?
This is really unusual. The only problem is that the team relies on him too much, while Yamal is still too young. I'm really worried he'll get injured because they use him all the time.
They always say, 'Yes, but he's too young.' But look, the lesson from Pedri or Gavi is still there. They had to play in the World Cup as kids and then injuries struck. Returning from injury is extremely difficult.
To date, Lamine Yamal has played 3,963 minutes in 49 matches, equivalent to approximately 80.8 minutes per game. It's worth remembering that the young Spanish talent also suffered an injury last October.
At that time, similar statistics were shocking. At the age of 18, Lamine Yamal had played 130 matches with a total of 9,772 minutes! That's many times more than Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, or any other star.
With such an intensity of play, it would be surprising if Lamine Yamal didn't suffer an injury.
Barcelona Has A History Of Exploiting Young Players
In fact, the issue of exploiting young players at Barcelona is not a new story. Before Yamal arrived, Ansu Fati was considered the "new Messi" at Nou Camp. He held numerous records, including the youngest player to score for Barcelona (16 years and 304 days), the youngest player in La Liga history to score and assist in a single match (16 years and 318 days), the youngest player in Barca history to play in the Champions League (16 years and 321 days), the youngest player in history to score in the Champions League (17 years and 40 days), the youngest player to score a brace in La Liga history (17 years and 94 days), and the youngest player to score for the Spanish national team (17 years and 311 days).
Ansu Fati Was Once A Sensation But Was Forgotten At Just 22 Years Old
However, playing continuously at a young age led to Ansu Fati suffering numerous serious injuries, most notably hamstring and thigh injuries. As a result, his form plummeted. Now, at 22, Ansu Fati has been forgotten and is struggling to regain his form at Monaco.
Another prime example is Pedri. In 2021, the then 18-year-old Spanish midfielder played 73 matches in a single season, almost always playing the full 90 minutes for Barcelona, the Spanish national team (EURO 2021), and the Spanish Olympic team (Tokyo Olympics).
After playing in the Olympic final, Pedri flew straight back to Spain to prepare for the new season. What were the consequences? This player suffered persistent hamstring and quadriceps muscle problems during the 2021/22 season, missing 41 matches. This issue continued for two more seasons, with Pedri not truly returning until the 2024/25 season.
For young players, playing is a joy. However, they need clear guidance to build a long-term career. Meanwhile, Barcelona is trying to maximize the potential of these young talents to win trophies. This is something that really shouldn't be done.
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