Lamine Yamal's season at Barcelona is over after the forward sustained a hamstring injury during Wednesday's La Liga fixture against Celta Vigo, the club confirmed on Thursday. He had scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot before limping off, leaving his side to complete the 1-0 victory without him.
Barcelona confirmed the diagnosis in a statement published on X. Tests had established a hamstring injury to his left leg, specifically to the biceps femoris muscle. The club said he would follow a conservative treatment plan and, while he will take no further part in their season, they expect him to be fit for Spain's World Cup campaign.
Yamal, who turned 18 last summer, has been among the most prominent forwards in European football this season. His ability to carry the ball from wide positions and create in tight spaces has made him central to Barcelona's attacking play, and his absence will be felt across the final weeks of the La Liga season as the club navigate their remaining fixtures.
The timing is significant for Spain as much as for Barcelona. The World Cup will demand peak condition from a squad whose attacking options have revolved heavily around Yamal's involvement, and the conservative treatment path Barcelona have outlined suggests medical staff are managing his recovery with that tournament firmly in view. No return date has been given beyond the expectation that he will be available when Spain's preparations begin.
For Barcelona, the more immediate concern is what the squad can produce without him. The precise implications will depend on how their remaining fixtures fall and what else is at stake in the league, though the club's public messaging has focused on his longer-term availability rather than any short-term return. No further detail on the severity or expected recovery timeline has been provided beyond the World Cup projection.