FC Barcelona performed an unannounced radiofrequency treatment on teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal for pelvic pain on the opening day of Spain’s national training camp, blindsiding Spanish FA medical staff and forcing the 18-year-old’s withdrawal from crucial World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a scathing statement late Monday, revealing the club only alerted national team doctors hours after the procedure — carried out without prior consultation — with a medical report advising 7–10 days of rest.
“Barça did secret radiofrequency treatment for Lamine Yamal for pubic discomfort on the same day Spain’s training camp began, without any prior notice to their staff,” the RFEF declared, confirming Yamal’s immediate release to Barcelona for recovery.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, visibly stunned, told reporters: “I am in shock. I have never seen this kind of situation in my career.” He added: “Zero news… and then suddenly they send a message to recall Lamine.”
The incident, erupting just 48 hours before Spain’s clash with Georgia in Tbilisi, has ignited a fresh club-versus-country row, with Yamal — the Euro 2024 breakout star and La Liga’s youngest-ever centurion — now sidelined for both qualifiers.
Barcelona has yet to respond publicly, but sources close to the club insist the treatment was a minor, precautionary measure to address discomfort that surfaced in training. Critics, however, decry the lack of transparency as reckless, especially given Yamal’s pivotal role in Hansi Flick’s resurgent side.
The RFEF, already navigating a packed November window, now scrambles to replace the winger, whose absence deals a blow to Spain’s bid to secure top seeding in World Cup qualification Group I.
De la Fuente, refusing to escalate publicly, stressed protocol: “We respect medical decisions, but communication is non-negotiable. This cannot happen again.”
As Yamal returns to Catalonia under club supervision, the episode lays bare the fragile trust between Spain’s football giants and the national setup — a rift that could linger long after the final whistle in Istanbul.
