MADRID (AP) — Spain coach Luis de la Fuente expects Lamine Yamal to be fit to play as part of his team. world cup opener.
De la Fuente said Wednesday that Yamal will not play in Thursday’s warm-up game against Iraq in A Coruña, but all signs point to him being available for the team’s opening game against Cape Verde on June 15 in Atlanta.
“If nothing changes, we will be ready to play on June 15,” coach de la Fuente said. “It doesn’t mean he will play for sure. We will wait and see. Maybe just a few minutes or practice to improve his condition for the second game. We will have to evaluate.”
Yamal I was injured He injured his left hamstring while converting a penalty against Barcelona in a Spanish league game on April 22nd. This week he said: I was scared He regretted missing the World Cup and prayed that he would recover in time for the tournament to begin in North America on June 11th.
Yamal, 18, is expected to lead the Spanish national team as they aim to win their second world title.
De la Fuente said two other injured players in the squad, Nico Williams and Victor Muñoz, would not play on Wednesday, and a player who played in the Champions League final would also be absent.
Spain’s final warm-up match will be on Monday in Mexico against Peru. De la Fuente did not say who is expected to play in the game.
Spain opened their Group H match against Cape Verde, then will face Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on June 21st and Uruguay in Guadalajara on June 26th.
Spain have not made it past the last 16 at a World Cup since winning their only title in 2010.
“We’re all excited to get off to a good start and strive to do well in the tournament,” de la Fuente said.
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