Barcelona will face Sevilla on Sunday without their young star, Lamine Yamal. The teenager is sidelined due to a groin injury aggravated during the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite missing four games after the September international break, Barcelona managed victories in his absence. Hansi Flick, however, criticised Spain's handling of Yamal, claiming he was already injured when joining the national team.
Flick expressed no regrets about his comments regarding Yamal's treatment by Spain's management. He emphasised his responsibility to protect his players, stating, "I don’t regret it because I try to protect my players. " Flick believes the matter is resolved and stressed the importance of collaboration between the player,
club, and federation. He mentioned speaking with Yamal recently and noted that while he is improving, he is not yet fully fit.
Yamal had been included in Spain's squad for October internationals before his injury worsened. Luis de la Fuente, Spain's coach, accused Flick of misunderstanding the situation. Despite this, Flick remains firm in his stance, highlighting the need to support and safeguard his players' well-being.
Sevilla manager Matias Almeyda insists that focusing on one player's absence would be a mistake. "If I were to focus on just one player, it would be a grave mistake," Almeyda stated. He acknowledged Barcelona's depth and quality across their squad. Sevilla currently sit 10th in LaLiga with 10 points from seven matches.
Barcelona have performed well with Yamal starting, winning 75% of those games since last season began. Without him, their win rate drops slightly to 66.7%. Despite this statistic, Almeyda remains focused on countering Barcelona’s overall team strength rather than individual players.
Upcoming Matches for Barcelona
Barcelona have accumulated 19 points from their first seven games this season. Following the international break, they face two significant derbies against Girona and Real Madrid. Flick commented on Yamal’s potential return for these matches: "With this type of injury. it could be two weeks, three weeks or four. " The uncertainty surrounding muscle injuries means careful monitoring of Yamal’s recovery is essential.
Players to Watch
For Sevilla, Jose Angel Carmona has been impressive lately with two assists in his last three LaLiga appearances. Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski stands out for Barcelona; he has scored five goals in six matches against Sevilla in LaLiga. After limited playtime against Paris Saint-Germain midweek, Lewandowski is expected to start against Sevilla.
Match Prediction: Barcelona Favoured
Barcelona are unbeaten in their last 15 away LaLiga games (11 wins and 4 draws). They aim to extend this streak at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan where Sevilla have struggled recently. Sevilla have only one home win in LaLiga this year—fewer than any other team participating in both current campaigns.
Almeyda has yet to secure a home victory as Sevilla coach (1 draw and 2 losses). If unsuccessful again on Sunday, he could join a list of previous coaches who failed to win any of their first four home games with the club.
The probability of a Barcelona win stands at 56.3%, while a draw is estimated at 22.1%. Sevilla’s chances are calculated at 21.5%, reflecting their recent form struggles compared to Barcelona’s consistent performances away from home.
