De la Fuente dismisses talk of special treatment for Lamine Yamal over absence against Czechia

A swollen knee was all it took to stir up a small storm around Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona winger didn't travel with the rest of the Spain squad for the Nations League matchup against Czechia, and in 2025, with the level of scrutiny that follows the player everywhere, that alone became news. Luis de la Fuente moved quickly to shut down any speculation: there's no special treatment, he says, and he's standing firmly behind that.

The root of the whole fuss is simple enough. The Spanish federation announced Monday that Yamal felt discomfort in his right knee after Barcelona's 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday in LaLiga. With the knee swollen, the medical staff decided it was best for the young forward to stay behind and get treatment with his club rather than join up with the national team ahead of the Czechia game.

That absence set off reports in several outlets suggesting the Barca star was getting preferential treatment compared to the rest of the squad. De la Fuente didn't take kindly to that.

Our medical staff evaluated him, and I decided that to avoid the travel, it was better for him to stay home and get treatment with his club. Lamine doesn't get any special privileges. We would have done the same thing for any other player.Luis de la Fuente

The coach didn't hold back beyond that either. He made clear that what bothers him most isn't the absence itself, but how the story got told.

What hurts me most is the lying, the lack of rigor, the absence of truthfulness and the made-up stories. That's why I've shared more than I probably should have, but it's the only way for people to know the truth. I can't stand it when someone tries to deceive you and lie.Luis de la Fuente

According to the coach, Yamal's case isn't even an isolated one during this international break: Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad will also join the squad late while he recovers from a bout of flu back in San Sebastian. Two players, two different medical situations, the same logic of playing it safe rather than taking any risks.

Recovery and the match against England

De la Fuente said he's been in direct contact with the player, speaking with him both Tuesday and Wednesday, and that the recovery is going as expected.

The recovery is going well, and we believe he'll be with us on Friday.Luis de la Fuente

The plan is for Yamal to be available for the clash with England on Sunday, a match that, in sporting terms, no longer carries as much weight as it might appear to. Spain leads its Nations League group with 12 points from four matches, three clear of second-place England, and has already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. Further back sit Croatia with three points and Czechia, still without a single point to its name.

With qualification for the next round already secured, what really matters now for De la Fuente is that his most high-profile player arrives healthy, without complications and, above all, without any more noise beyond what already follows him every week simply for being who he is.