Spanish Coach Speaks Out About Dispute with Barca Coach

Spain's head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has rejected any rumors about a “disagreement” involving him, Hansi Flick, or Barcelona, related to the injury issues of the promising player Lamine Yamal.

At the press conference ahead of the match against Georgia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, De la Fuente remained calm when asked about his relationship with the Camp Nou club. The 63-year-old coach emphasized that his focus is solely on winning with the Spanish national team, rather than getting involved in off-field controversies.

De la Fuente stated: “I have said almost everything and will not change a thing. Now we must talk about Georgia; we need to win these matches, and it won't be easy. They have high-quality players, and we must show our best version to secure victory.”

The “La Roja” boss also dismissed any claims that his relationship with Barcelona has become tense after Yamal repeatedly faced fitness problems whenever returning from national team duty.

He added: “There is no conflict with Barca or Flick at all. I feel supported, appreciated, and respected. I have a contract until 2028 and hope to continue until 2030, for our World Cup campaign.”

Previously, Hansi Flick criticized Spain’s management of Lamine Yamal during last month's international break, claiming the 18-year-old was overworked, leading to injury. The tension increased when Yamal again missed the current call-up due to similar reasons.

Not only Yamal, but several other Barcelona players also encountered issues when joining the national team. Young midfielder Marc Bernal, recently recovered from injury, was surprisingly called up to Spain's U21 squad but quickly withdrew to return to his club due to not being fully fit. Additionally, Dani Olmo had to leave the camp to go back to RB Leipzig because of a recurring injury.

This series of incidents has led Spanish media to question whether the national team is “over-exerting” Barca’s key players, especially the young group. However, De la Fuente maintains that all decisions are carefully considered for the overall benefit of the team.

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