Barcelona relinquished their firm grip on top spot in La Liga on Sunday night, with their loss and Real Madrid’s win drawing Los Blancos within three points should they beat Valencia with their game in hand. The damage went beyond that though.
Lamine Yamal watched the game from the stands on Sunday night at the Reale Arena, unable to participate due to a bruise suffered against Crvena Zvezda. Meanwhile Frenkie de Jong also came off at half-time, following a clash of knees. MD say that he will have tests today to establish whether that is a simple bruise, or whether it affected his muscles too. De Jong had been due to join up with the Dutch national team today, but his presence for Ronald Koeman will now be in question too.
Flick: "I think the doctors will ask Lamine not to play for the national team. We will speak to the RFEF. If he could have played, he would have, but there was no other option. I hope that the right thing will be done."
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) November 10, 2024
De Jong completed 68 minutes against Crvena Zvezda on Wednesday, the most since he has come back from an ankle problem that kept him out for five months, and is yet to play a full match. The 27-year-old is also facing a crossroads in his Barcelona career, with uncertainty over his contract situation, and competition for places in midfield as strong as it has been.
