In the Catalan press: Yamal faces an unfair Madrid campaign
Alfredo Martinez, the journalist at Catalan outlet Sport, launched a scathing attack on the critics of Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona and Spain national team star, over the controversy surrounding his absence from the clash against the Czech Republic.
He confirmed the player had not shirked joining the national team. Yamal was genuinely suffering from inflammation in the knee and a build-up of fluid in the joint, which prompted the technical staff to handle his condition cautiously.
According to Martínez, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente was forced to vent his anger and speak clearly about the symptoms and discomfort troubling the player. The knee became inflamed following a movement during the match against Aston Villa, leaving fluid in the joint.
He added: "What more does it need to be clear? Lamine Yamal does not shirk call-ups." The Barcelona star's absence against the Czech Republic came down to his physical condition, not any attempt to distance himself from the national team.
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The Catalan journalist criticised what he described as the constant search for complications in normal situations, such as resting players before important matches and caring for them to ensure they reach peak physical condition. Some critics, he argued, simply cannot enjoy what Yamal offers because he does not play for the team they support.
Yamal, in Martínez's view, may be the best player Spain has ever had, or at least a candidate to become so. His abilities give him the chance to help the national team win many titles.
His ambition and constant desire to win and break records match his exceptional footballing level.
Turning to the relationship between Barcelona and the Spanish national team, Martínez pointed out that several of the Catalan club's players had suffered injuries during recent call-up periods. He described what happened as incidental and unfortunate.
Gavi's serious injury in Valladolid proved his point. The midfielder had been an indispensable element in the national team's line-up, and he has not been the same player since that unfortunate blow.
Lamine Yamal, he added, always finds himself at the heart of the storm for his critics, instead of receiving the support and appreciation that would help him feel as comfortable with Spain as he does with his club.
The player, he felt, is subjected to unfair attacks despite the commitment he has shown towards the national team. He even sped up his recovery to catch the matches and help Spain win its second world title.
Barcelona's historic role in Spain's successes also drew a defence. The backbone of the national team had always included the Catalan club's players when Spain lifted the World Cup or the European Championship.
Double standards, Martínez argued, run through some of Yamal's critics. They call for votes in favour of Kylian Mbappé in the race for the world's best player, or repeatedly ignore the absence of their own clubs' players from the France and Uruguay call-ups, a clear reference to Real Madrid.
The writer concluded that the real reason behind these criticisms is Yamal's affiliation to Barcelona. Club and player, in his view, represent a permanent enemy for a section of followers. He then addressed a message to the young star: "Forgive them, Yamal, for they know not what they say."
