Report: Lamine Yamal makes important career decision amid Barcelona injury concerns
In recent weeks, Lamine Yamal has been in the spotlight more for off-field situations than for his performances on the ball. That reached a peak last weekend in Barcelona’s loss to Real Madrid, when several opposing players, including Vinicius and Dani Carvajal, confronted him over his comments.
Amid all this, the young winger is facing a difficult moment in his short career due to an injury he has not fully recovered from. Since the September international break, when he returned after playing with Spain with groin pain, Lamine has not been the same.
Reports indicate that Yamal is suffering from pubalgia, a muscular injury that can be very uncomfortable for players because it limits their movements, and also carries the risk of becoming a chronic problem if not treated properly.
“The player assumes he is not at one hundred percent, although right now he is not considering surgery to eliminate the pain,” Sport reported Thursday. “His plan is to endure a few more weeks with conservative treatment and evaluate progress day by day. If the pain does not subside, he would then consider the viability of an operation. Even so, as of today that option is not on the table.”
Lamine Yamal evaluates his options
While a muscular problem may not initially seem serious for a professional player, the pubalgia Yamal currently has can become a major complication if not addressed promptly. That is why his decision on whether to undergo surgery carries such importance.
Sport notes that Lamine has consulted other specialists in addition to Barcelona’s doctors to get second opinions on his injury. “These are routine consultations to determine whether the pain is within normal limits and how surgery could help if necessary,” the Spanish outlet reports. “Everything is standard, but as of today, there is no surgical plan nor a fixed intention to operate.”
Messi and other stars who have dealt with pubalgia
The physical issue Lamine Yamal is facing has been experienced by other players in the past, with varying results. Lionel Messi also suffered from pubalgia during his years at Barcelona, on at least two occasions. However, he chose not to undergo surgery and opted for a less invasive treatment that proved successful.
Another former La Liga star had a different experience. Xabi Alonso had to undergo surgery for pubalgia in the summer of 2013, when he was playing for Real Madrid, as a way to solve the problem definitively. At that time, the Spanish midfielder faced a recovery period of a month and a half.