Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal will miss Saturday’s huge game against Atlético Madrid after being ruled out for up to four weeks with an ankle ligament injury picked up in the loss to Leganés.
The 17-year-old picked up the injury in the first half of Sunday’s shock defeat, but played on until the 75th minute, when he was eventually replaced by Gavi.
The problem is with the same ankle which he hurt in the win over Red Star Belgrade on Nov. 6, leading him to miss three Barça fixtures and two with Spain before returning to action against Las Palmas on Nov. 30.
“Tests carried out on Monday have revealed Yamal has an injury to a ligament in the ankle,” the Catalan club confirmed in a statement. “He is expected to be out for three to four weeks.”
Barça, therefore, will be without Yamal for Saturday’s top of the table meeting with Atlético at the Olympic Stadium. The two sides go into that match level on points as co-leaders in LaLiga, although Atlético have a game in hand.
LaLiga then stops for a winter break, with Barça not in action again until they take on fourth-tier Barbastro in the Copa del Rey on Jan. 4.
They then travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Supercopa, facing Athletic Club in the semifinal on Jan. 8. It is unlikely Yamal will feature in the Middle East.
Barça are not in LaLiga action again until they travel to Getafe the weekend starting Jan. 18, although the exact date for that fixture has not yet been confirmed.
Yamal, who helped Spain win the European Championship last summer, has been one of Barça’s standout players since Hansi Flick took charge at the start of the campaign.
In 21 appearances in all competitions, the winger has scored six goals and set up 11 more as part of a productive attack alongside Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.