Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal faces an untimely setback, sidelined after suffering a right ankle sprain during last week’s Champions League match against Crvena Zvezda. 

Absent from Barcelona’s narrow 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad, the 16-year-old winger will be out for two to three weeks, missing critical La Liga games until likely December. Manager Hansi Flick had expressed hope Yamal could rest through Spain’s upcoming Nations League matches, given the “severe contusion” he sustained midweek. 

On their official X account, the club posted, “Tests this morning confirmed that first-team player Lamine Yamal has a grade 1 high right ankle sprain. He is expected to be out for two to three weeks.”

Adding to Barcelona’s injury list, they further confirmed the star forward Robert Lewandowski wrote, "Robert Lewandowski has suffered a lower back injury. He will be out of action for approximately 10 days.”

While Lewandowski is expected back for their next La Liga fixture against Celta Vigo, Yamal’s absence leaves a gap in Barcelona’s lineup just as his breakout season was gaining momentum. Fans eagerly await his return, hopeful his comeback will reinvigorate the Catalan side as the season heats up.