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Rabat – A new dispute has surfaced between FC Barcelona and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), with Lamine Yamal at its center.
The 18 year old has been withdrawn from Spain’s squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey.
The controversy began after Barcelona arranged a medical procedure for Yamal without informing Spain’s national team doctors.
According to the RFEF, the player underwent an invasive radiofrequency treatment on the morning of November 10 to investigate discomfort in his pubic area.
Lamine Yamal es desconvocado para jugar contra Georgia y Turquía.
ℹ️ Leer más: https://t.co/atDKuEHhN4 #VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/18d34HtQdJ
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) November 11, 2025
The federation said it only learned of the procedure later that day, at 1:47 p.m., after the training camp had officially started. A full medical report was not received until 10:40 p.m., recommending that Yamal rest for seven to ten days.
The RFEF expressed “surprise and discomfort” at the lack of communication, stressing that the national team’s medical staff should have been consulted before such a treatment was carried out.
The governing body stressed that the decision to release Yamal was made to protect his health and well‑being.
The latest incident has escalated the conflict, with Barcelona acting independently to treat their star player and Spain’s federation insisting that such decisions should involve national team doctors.
Background of the dispute
This dispute did not begin overnight. Tensions between Barcelona and the RFEF over Yamal’s fitness date back to September, when the forward suffered groin problems after playing for Spain.
Barcelona felt the national team had not managed his workload properly while Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente defended his staff’s handling of the situation.
The disagreement even led to a public exchange of words between Barça coach Hansi Flick and De la Fuente, each insisting they were acting in the player’s best interest.
In October, Yamal missed another international window due to the same injury, further fueling disagreements between club and country.
As a result, Spain will have to play its final qualifiers without one of its brightest talents. The federation concluded its statement by wishing the Barcelona forward a “speedy and full recovery.”
