Spain began their path to the 2026 World Cup on a strong note, defeating Bulgaria with a clear 3-0 scoreline. The match at Stadion Vasil Levski left positive collective impressions and saw several standout individual performances, but it also brought a concern that directly affects Barça.
Lamine Yamal started in Sofia and once again showed that his quality knows no age. At just 18 years old, he was actively involved in offensive plays and provided the assist for the third goal, finished by Mikel Merino. His ability to break through on the right wing was a constant resource for Luis de la Fuente, who trusted him from the start in a key match to open the qualifying phase.
Physical discomfort and coach's decision
The substitution in the 79th minute raised the first doubt among the blaugrana environment. Lamine left the field as a precaution and gave his place to Jesús Rodríguez. According to Mundo Deportivo, the player has been dealing with some back discomfort that is not considered serious. De la Fuente decided to keep him out in the final minutes, with the match already decided, to avoid unnecessary risks.
This afternoon, the national team completed a recovery training session in Sofia before flying to Türkiye. The starters against Bulgaria, including Lamine, stayed in the gym working on recovery and physiotherapy. The medical forecast is that he will improve favorably and could be available on Sunday in Konya. Even so, the coaching staff will continue to assess his condition until hours before the match.
A crucial clash against Türkiye on the horizon
The next fixture will be played in Parsana against Türkiye, who won their debut against Georgia and are emerging as the main rival for the top spot in the group. Only the first-place team qualifies directly for the World Cup, so every detail becomes extremely important. De la Fuente knows that having Lamine at one hundred percent would make a difference in a highly demanding context.
At Barça, they are closely monitoring any setback affecting the academy graduate, who has already become indispensable for Flick. His constant participation in the national team increases his competitive workload, but it also proves that he is ready for scenarios of maximum responsibility. If the discomfort doesn't worsen, everything suggests that he will start on Sunday and will once again be one of the main focal points.
In any case, it seems that his back discomfort will not lead to an injury that Barça should worry about. In principle, keeping his efforts under control should be enough. In fact, it is quite likely that he will be available for the national team's match on Sunday on Turkish soil.