Luis De la Fuente Minimizes Yamals Absence as Spain Targets World Cup Qualification

Yamal Exits Spain Squad Amid Injury Concerns

The 18-year-old Barcelona prodigy, Lamine Yamal, has been withdrawn from Spain’s national team ahead of their qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey due to a groin injury. This decision has drawn some criticism from the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Yamal has already missed five matches for Barcelona this season due to the injury and underwent a significant radio frequency procedure on Monday, coinciding with the start of Spain’s training camp, as confirmed by RFEF.

Coach’s Perspective

Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, mentioned that this situation is unprecedented for him. However, he maintained a positive outlook concerning the upcoming match in Tbilisi.

The best news is that he has 15 years left with us,

de la Fuente stated to reporters on Friday.

He emphasized the importance of focusing on the present while also considering the future.

We need to concentrate on the current players, secure a win, and almost guarantee qualification; that is our main concern,

he added.

The coach highlighted the necessity for improvement in various aspects but reiterated the immediate goal of performing well in the next match.

Yamal has already made 23 appearances for Spain, scoring six goals and providing six assists in his 11 outings for Barcelona this season.

Current Standings and Goals

Spain is leading Group E with 12 points from four matches, having scored 15 goals without conceding any. A victory against Georgia will ensure their qualification for the finals next year, contingent on third-placed Turkey either losing to Bulgaria or failing to win.

Our primary objective is to qualify for the World Cup,

de la Fuente remarked.

Regardless of how this qualification phase unfolds, we must aim for victory to secure our standing, which involves hard work and doing everything correctly to maximize our chances.

Spain enters the match against Georgia with a boost of confidence, riding a 29-match unbeaten streak in competitive fixtures following a 4-0 win over Bulgaria last month.

Winning is a challenge, and we aim to maintain our momentum, but we approach this one game at a time,

de la Fuente noted.

He also stressed the significance of staying grounded.

What this team is accomplishing is not easy, but we strive to keep progressing.

Keep an eye on Spain’s upcoming clash against Georgia for an exciting match!