Barcelona fear for teenage wonderkid as referees turn blind eye to his rough treatment

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, there is increasing worry at Barcelona about the rough tackles being made against Lamine Yamal and the leniency of referees towards these fouls.

In a recent match against Serbia, Kristijan Belic had been on the field for only seven minutes when he committed a foul on Yamal, and according to reports, this tackle was likely a result of instructions from his coach, Dragan Stojkovic.

The tackle was so aggressive and poorly executed that it lifted Yamal off the ground, leaving him in pain. Fortunately, the young Barcelona and Spanish winger anticipated the foul and managed to protect himself, avoiding more serious injury.

Furthermore, Veljko Birmanzevic also received a yellow card for a tough tackle on Yamal, who was fouled three times in the 90-minute game.

This situation mirrors what happens in La Liga, where Barcelona is increasingly concerned about the lack of protection Yamal receives from referees.

What happened in La Liga?

In the first four rounds of La Liga, Yamal has been fouled nearly three times per match, a statistic that aligns with his debut in the Nations League with Spain.

He has been fouled 11 times so far, which is just behind Christantus Uche of Getafe (14 fouls) and Vinicius of Real Madrid (12 fouls).

This is part of the price he pays for being the player with the most dribbles (31) and completed dribbles (15) in the league, as well as leading in assists with four before the international break.

At only 17, Yamal is one of the most daring attackers for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team. As a result, those who cannot match his skill on the pitch often resort to rough play.

Luis de la Fuente had Yamal play the full match against Serbia, despite him having complained of calf pain before the trip, which led to an MRI in Madrid.

The scan showed no muscle injury but confirmed a bruise. Despite concerns about the injury, Yamal was not rested. It is possible that he may face similar challenges in the upcoming match against Switzerland.

With increasing fouls, kicks, and a lack of referee action, Yamal remains under scrutiny. De la Fuente addressed Barcelona’s concerns, noting,

“It’s fortunate that they have such a high-level player and that he plays so many games for the national team. If he can’t handle 180 minutes in September, then there’s a problem.”