Spain coach Luis de la Fuente slams 'lies' over Lamine Yamal privileges row as knee fluid rules star out ahead of England clash
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente angrily rejected claims that Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal received preferential treatment for a delayed camp arrival, confirming fluid and inflammation in Yamal's right knee ruled him out of Thursday's Czechia match before Friday's expected return ahead of England.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente lashed out at Spanish pundits and media outlets ahead of Thursday night’s UEFA Nations League trip to Czechia, branding suggestions that 19-year-old Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal receives preferential treatment inside the national setup as “lying” and “fabrication.”
Yamal did not travel with the defending world champions to Prague after reporting right-knee discomfort following Barcelona’s 2–1 La Liga victory at Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Follow-up examinations coordinated between Barcelona and Royal Spanish Football Federation doctors detected localized fluid and inflammation in the joint, prompting De la Fuente to keep the teenager in Catalonia for targeted physiotherapy rather than subject him to midweek international flights.
When commentary in Madrid and Barcelona questioned why Yamal was permitted to skip initial camp reporting while remaining in contention for Sunday’s blockbuster Nations League showdown against England in Madrid, De la Fuente delivered an unusually sharp rebuke.
“What hurts me most is the lying, the lack of rigor, the absence of truthfulness and the fabrication,” De la Fuente told reporters. “That is why I’ve shared more than I perhaps should have, but it is the only way for people to know the truth. I can’t stand people who try to deceive you and lie.”
Medical protocol mirrors Mikel Oyarzabal’s delayed arrival
Insisting Spain’s medical department applied standard player-welfare rules, De la Fuente stressed that every squad member receives identical treatment when managing acute club-weekend knocks.
“Our medical staff assessed him, and I decided that, to avoid the trip, it would be better for him to stay home for treatment with his club,” De la Fuente said. “Lamine doesn’t have any special privileges. We would have done this for any other player.”
To underscore the point, the Spain manager noted that Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal was likewise granted a staggered arrival earlier in the window while recovering from illness in San Sebastian before linking up with the national group.
Friday camp check-in sets up Sunday’s top-spot decider against England
De la Fuente confirmed he spoke directly with Yamal — who finished third in last month’s Ballon d’Or voting — on both Tuesday and Wednesday and expects the winger to report to Spain’s Madrid training headquarters on Friday morning ahead of fitness testing for Sunday’s group finale.
“The recovery is going well, and we believe he will be with us on Friday,” De la Fuente said, adding that final matchday clearance will still hinge on how the knee responds once Yamal rejoins full grass sessions.
Already assured of a Nations League quarter-final berth, Spain sit top of their group on a maximum 12 points from four matches, three points clear of second-placed England (9 points) ahead of Sunday night’s head-to-head clash in Madrid for first place.