Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has confirmed that rising star Lamine Yamal is fit and available to face Las Palmas in their LaLiga encounter on Saturday.
The 17-year-old has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury against Red Star Belgrade on November 6 but is now ready to return to action.
Yamal missed Barcelona’s last three matches, including fixtures against Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo, and Brest.
He also sat out Spain’s international games against Denmark and Switzerland. His absence was felt as Barça struggled without him, losing to Real Sociedad and drawing with Celta before breaking the streak with a convincing 3-0 win over Brest.
“Lamine is back, he’s ready to play,” Flick announced during Friday’s press conference.
“We will see if he starts or not, but he will play.”
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Gavi to Replace Suspended Marc Casadó
Flick also confirmed that Gavi will step in for the suspended Marc Casadó in Saturday’s game.
The midfielder, who recently returned from a year-long recovery following an ACL injury, is building momentum but is yet to complete a full 90 minutes since his comeback.
“After such a long injury, it’s not easy to come back,” Flick explained.
“But Gavi is 100% fit and in good form. He will play, and he has the potential to elevate his game even further.”
Frenkie de Jong’s Recovery Progress
Frenkie de Jong’s return to full fitness remains a work in progress. The Dutch midfielder has seen limited action since his comeback in October, featuring for only 17 minutes across Barça’s last two matches.
“Frenkie needs to regain his confidence,” Flick said.
“We’re working to help him. The competition in midfield is intense, and while we aim to give him playing time, he also needs to show his improvement in training. We are confident he’ll be back to his best soon.”
Barça’s LaLiga Lead on the Line
Barcelona heads into the game against Las Palmas at the Olympic Stadium with a four-point lead at the top of LaLiga.
However, second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand, will face Getafe on Sunday, keeping the title race competitive.
With Yamal’s return, Gavi’s growing influence, and Flick’s confidence in the team, Barça will look to maintain their dominance and secure another vital win in their pursuit of the LaLiga title.
