Yamal ruled out for three more weeks just hours after Spain squad announcement

Barcelona have revealed Lamine Yamal will be sidelined for up to three weeks due to a recurrence of his groin injury, just hours after Spain named the winger in their squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers.

Yamal missed four games after the September international break, having played in Spain's World Cup qualifying wins over Bulgaria and Turkiye before complaining of groin pain.

He returned from the bench in last Sunday's 2-1 win over Real Sociedad in LaLiga, then played the full 90 minutes of Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

But on Friday, 48 hours out from a trip to Sevilla, Barca revealed Yamal is set for another stint on the sidelines.

In an announcement on X, the club said: "The discomfort in the pubic area that player Lamine Yamal has been experiencing has reappeared after the match against PSG. 

"He will be out for the Sevilla game, and the estimated recovery time is two to three weeks."

An absence of that length would mean Yamal is unable to link up with Luis de la Fuente's Roja squad for meetings with Georgia on October 11 and Bulgaria on October 14.

Barca were unhappy with Spain over their handling of Yamal's fitness in September, with Blaugrana coach Hansi Flick claiming the 18-year-old was already injured when he reported for international duty and had to take painkillers to get through their games.

After naming Yamal in his 26-man squad earlier on Friday, De la Fuente hit back at those suggestions, telling reporters: "Here, we take zero risks. 

"Whoever comes in, comes in healthy and fit to play. When they go back home, it is because we have judged there was a risk in staying with us.

"I always tell the truth. What happened was, when the games ended, he had a bit of an issue. But I don't pick players who are carrying an injury. 

"Our medical services have explained it; I have explained it. If he had an issue after the game, I don't know about that."

De la Fuente also said he expected Flick to understand his desire to use Yamal, given his previous experience as an international coach with Germany.

"There is no conflict with Hansi, not at all. I was just surprised by the comments he made because he's been a national team coach," De la Fuente said. 

"I thought he would have some empathy in that sense towards the role. That's the only thing, just that I was surprised he had that opinion, given he was Germany coach." 

Yamal is not the only Spain winger who will miss their upcoming Group E fixtures, with Nico Williams also out injured. Gavi and Fermin Lopez are also sidelined, while Alvaro Morata was a surprise omission from De la Fuente's squad.

Spain squad: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), David Raya (Arsenal), Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad); Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid); Rodri (Manchester City), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Arsenal), Martin Zubimendi (Arsenal), Aleix Garcia (Bayer Leverkusen), Pedri (Barcelona), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Barrios (Atletico Madrid); Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Samu Aghehowa (Porto), Jorge de Frutos (Rayo Vallecano), Jesus Rodriguez (Como).