Barça's Bold Comeback Blueprint: Lamine Yamal Back in Action Soon
20 November 2025
Recovery plan details
The Spanish club Barcelona has laid out a recovery plan for its young star Lamine Yamal to shake off a troublesome groin-area injury that kept him out of recent matches and caused him to miss Spain's qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey for the World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the plan details that after the player underwent sonic-wave therapy ten days ago, the winger rested for 48 to 72 hours, then took a full break before starting a rehab program with two of the club's physiotherapists last Thursday.
The program aims to enable him to return to group training and matches within 7–10 days; Yamal already took part in part of the group training yesterday, under coach Hans Flick's supervision.
Barcelona did not rule out Yamal playing a few minutes against Athletic Bilbao next Saturday, a small test toward the main goal of reaching peak fitness before the Chelsea match in the Champions League.
Moreover, Mundo Deportivo notes that the Barcelona player is eager to appear in his first match back at Camp Nou (against Bilbao), but the priority is full recovery; if he does not improve well, the staff and club will not rush him back.
It also notes that Belgian doctor Ernst Schilders is monitoring Yamal's progress, having conducted an evaluation of the youngster that was approved, and he is set to return to Barcelona to work with Bruna, the team doctor, and reassess his condition for his comeback and the next phase of treatment.
The paper quotes Barça sources that Lamine had severe pain and was concerned about the injury's seriousness, but he refused surgery and sought external expert opinions, an arrangement Barça arranged by enlisting the Belgian physician overseeing his care.
Despite the youngster's wish to join the national team, Lamine arrived at the Spain national team's training camp on Monday evening, November 10, aware that he would not travel to Georgia with the squad after Barça officials informed him of the treatment plan on November 10, and it was presumed he would miss November matches.
Doctors told the Barcelona star that the injury is severe and complex, and if not treated well it could last months; the player understands this and remains focused on recovery, prioritizing overcoming the injury without distractions and strengthening the affected area to prevent relapse.
Apart from the treatment programs, Yamal decided after the Clasico against Real Madrid to reduce his media presence and social media activity; the next planned video will not be released unless he features in the Chelsea match.
Additionally, Yamal ended his relationship with Argentine singer Nicki Nicole, who had faced some difficulties recently, affecting the player's mental state.
Mundo Deportivo states that Yamal's ambition at 18 remains to lead Barcelona to the top; he knows he must refine daily routines without losing the personality that propelled him to this rapid rise, and he has allocated space for physiotherapy and water-recovery systems in his new home, valuing every detail.
Despite the pain in recent months since returning from the September international break, Yamal showed clear signs of improvement in the latter half of the season; he returned against Girona after the October break, but in the Clasico he was not in full physical condition.
The report closes by noting that Yamal has re-evaluated his style and realized he needs balance; he was decisive in wins over Elche and Celta Vigo and the draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League, but endured severe pains after the Girona match, pushing this new plan.
Punchline 1: If comebacks were free throws, Lamine would shoot with a steady hand and a groin that finally knows who’s boss.
Punchline 2: If recovery were a transfer, Barça’s plan would be a headline-grabbing deal—slick, patient, and with a built-in suspense soundtrack.
