Barcelona, SPAIN — Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to nine points with a narrow 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Wednesday, but the win was overshadowed by a potentially serious injury to teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.
The 18-year-old was forced off immediately after scoring the game’s only goal from the penalty spot at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The decisive moment arrived in the 40th minute when Yamal skipped into the box and was brought down by Yoel Lago. While he successfully slotted the resulting penalty past keeper Ionut Radu, the winger immediately signaled to the bench and clutched his left hamstring.
Okay News reports that the Spanish international limped off with medical assistance and was replaced by Roony Bardghji, heading straight down the tunnel for assessment.
The injury comes at a critical juncture for both club and country. Hansi Flick’s side has only six games remaining to secure the title and faces a massive Clasico encounter against Real Madrid next month. Furthermore, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in June, the Spanish national team faces a nervous wait over the fitness of a player who has contributed 16 goals and 11 assists in league play this term.
“I hope it is for as few weeks as possible. Tomorrow he’ll be tested and we’ll see what it is,” teammate Pedri told Movistar Plus after the match. He added a message of support for the Young Player of the Tournament from Euro 2024, saying, “I wish him the best of luck, and he should stay calm — he’s young and will surely recover well.”
The victory keeps Barcelona on track to retain their domestic crown, but the loss of Yamal—even for a few weeks—could severely test Flick’s attacking depth during the final stretch of the season. The club confirmed that formal medical tests will be conducted on Thursday to determine the full extent of the damage.
