Spain head to the Czech Republic on Thursday at 20:45, missing star Lamine Yamal, who sits out with a knee discomfort that many suspect was a ploy to skip the Nations League tie.
De La Fuente erupted on Wednesday, lambasting the swirl of speculation surrounding Yamal’s absence. The Barcelona forward is sidelined for Thursday’s match but may rejoin the squad for the Sunday showdown against England in Madrid.
“What hurts most is the lie, the lack of rigor, the absence of truth and the fabrication”
Critics have questioned whether the Barcelona attacker deliberately exaggerated his knee problem to avoid the Prague trip, especially now that Spain has already secured a quarter‑final berth, a notion that has irked the manager.
“Speaking without knowledge is the saddest and most regrettable thing,” he told the media. “To make it clear: Yamal felt knee discomfort, his doctor found fluid and inflammation, and both medical teams agreed he needed rest. He’ll train with his club and rejoin the squad on Friday. Understood?”
“I’m here to set the record straight in the locker room,” he added. “He gets no special treatment. We’d have acted the same with anyone. It’s just football, injuries happen.” In my view, the coach’s fury seems overblown. This Thursday, the coach also loses Mikel Oyarzabal and Rodri, whose absences drew no comment.
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“What hurts most is the lie, the lack of rigor, the absence of truth and the fabrication,” he wrote in Marca. “I’ve laid out every detail because it’s the only way people learn the facts. I can’t tolerate deceit.”
The debate lit up Wednesday’s sports shows, including Cadena Ser, where journalist Manu Carreno defended sparing the star. “I get why they protect Yamal – he’s our best player and we can’t risk him. We don’t have such debates in France with Mbappé, Argentina with Messi, or Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo. Some athletes receive preferential treatment, and perhaps Spain finally has a player of that calibre at national level. It may feel unfair, but the same logic applies elsewhere,” he argued.