According to AS, tests have ruled out damage to the external lateral ligament, which would make his rehabilitation easier.
Lamine Yamal's recovery has become a top priority for Barcelona. Since the club published a medical report last Monday, which confirmed that the young forward was dealing with “a grade one injury to the anterior intertibio-fibular ligament” and estimated an absence of “three to four weeks”, numerous expert opinions emerged.
Many have questioned the diagnosis and expected recovery time. Within the club there has been some surprise – and not the pleasant kind – at how easily some individuals have been able to make judgments without access to the necessary evidence, let alone examining the player's ankle first-hand.
According to AS, follow-up tests downplayed the severity of the injury. Initially, the main concern of FC Barcelona's medical team was that the sprain Yamal suffered during the shock home loss to Leganés may have also affected the external lateral ligament of his ankle.
Fortunately, the tests completely ruled this out. Yamal's injury involves only part of the membrane covering the fibula and tibia, commonly called the syndesmosis. This outcome greatly simplifies both the rehabilitation process and his time off the field, supporting the original estimate of a recovery period of three to four weeks.
Which matches will Lamine Yamal miss for FC Barcelona?
Medical staff have also clarified that Yamal's decision to continue playing for nearly 50 minutes after sustaining the injury did not worsen his condition.
At half-time the player was examined and after an initial assessment his ankle was wrapped in a compression bandage. He was also given anti-inflammatories and painkillers, with instructions to request replacements if he experienced any discomfort.
Despite this, there is some concern within the club due to the similarity of this injury to the one just over a month ago, which sidelined him for around three weeks.
On that occasion, Yamal missed matches against Real Sociedad (1-0), Celta (2-2) and Brest (3-0) before returning against Las Palmas (1-2). He is currently expected to miss the upcoming LaLiga match against Atlético de Madrid (December 21) and the Copa del Rey match against Barbastro (January 4). However, the focus remains on getting him fully fit for the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club (January 8).
The club is taking a cautious approach and ensuring that the player is not returned prematurely. His return will depend entirely on the progress of his recovery and how he feels during rehabilitation. Nevertheless, there is strong optimism that he will be in top condition for the Super Cup match.
This confidence comes from three key factors: the injury is minor, no other ligaments are affected, and recovery from these types of problems is relatively easy.
Comments