Madrid – Spanish national team coach Luis de la Fuente has responded to criticismโข from Germany’s hansiโ Flick regarding the injury sustainedโค by โฃBarcelona‘s Lamine Yamal while on international duty last โฃmonth. de la fuente expressed surprise at Flick’s comments, defending his team’s handlingโ of the 18-year-old player.
Yamalโฃ suffered a groin injury after โคreturning to Barcelona from a recent Spanish national โteam โcamp, โฃsidelining him for four matches. Flick publicly voiced his disapproval,suggesting improper handling of โขplayers during international โฃbreaks. De laโ Fuente, however, countered that Flick, as a former national team coach himself, should understand the demands and risksโ inherent in international competition.
“There was no conflict with Flick,” De la โฃFuente stated. “I was only surprised by โคthose statements, becuase he was once a โคnational team coachโ and I thought โคhe understood it.”โ He emphasized the importance of upcoming World Cup qualifying matches, suggesting Flick’s concerns may stem from โฃotherโ motivations.
“We play for the World Cup, โthat’s what is really important. The rest are not important. Everyone has โฃsaid whatโ they say, and that’sโฃ all,” โde la Fuente added.
Despite Flick’s concerns, Yamal has been recalled to the spanish national team for upcoming World Cup qualifiersโ againstโข Georgia onโฃ October 12th and Bulgaria on October 15th. The debate highlights the โongoing tension โขbetween club and country regarding player welfareโ and the pressures of international schedules,particularly as teams prepare for major tournaments like the โWorldโค Cup.
