In a major update, Toni Juanmarti of SPORT reports that Barcelona have decided against taking teenage sensation Lamine Yamal on their pre-season tour of the United States of America this month.
The 17-year-old wonderkid has become one of the major attractions of this Barcelona side after enjoying a stunning breakthrough campaign in 2023/24 with both club and country.
As such, there was a strong temptation on the club’s part to have him present on the tour of the USA later this month.
But considering the gruelling campaign that the teenage gem has gone through, Barcelona have decided to give him ample time to rest and recover before the next season.
After all, Yamal played in as many as 50 matches for Barça across all competitions in the season gone by.
An extended break for Yamal. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition, he was also an ever-present in the Spain national team setup since September 2023, featuring in 14 matches, seven of which came in the recently concluded UEFA Euro 2024, where he helped La Roja win and be named the Young Player of the Tournament.
Given the gruelling schedule that he has been through, Barcelona are prioritising the physical and mental rest for the 17-year-old La Masia sensation.
As such, Yamal will not fly to the USA later this month along with Ferran Torres and Pedri, who were also part of the Spain squad that won the UEFA Euro 2024.
Fermin Lopez, who was also on the La Roja roster for the tournament, will also not participate as he is currently away representing the Spanish national team at the Olympics.
Gavi, currently injured, will also not be a part of the trip while Frenkie de Jong is also expected to miss out as he has yet to recover completely from his ankle injury.
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/barcelona-teenage-prodigy-will-not-travel-to-us-for-pre-season-friendlies/
Author : Michel Durant
Publish date : 2024-07-17 09:27:27
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