In a move that sparked a storm of comments, the technical staff of the Spain national team, led by Luis de la Fuente, decided to allow the young talent Lamine Yamal to remain at Barcelona to recover from pain in his right knee, rather than joining the camp at "Las Rozas".
The symptoms surfaced after the clash with Atletico Madrid. That ruled the star out of tomorrow's match against the Czech Republic on Thursday, with him set to join up with the national team later for the game against England.
Yamal skipped last Monday's training session, and medical examinations earned him a few days' rest back at his club. That measure didn't slip by unnoticed. It became the focus of heated debate on the famous radio programme "El Larguero".
Spain's initial squad for the current camp included the following names:
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon - David Raya - Joan Garcia - Alvaro Valles.
Defence: Pedro Porro - Marc Pubill - Aymeric Laporte - Pau Cubarsi - Dean Huijsen - Jacobo Ramon - Marc Cucurella - Alejandro Grimaldo.
Midfield: Martin Zubimendi - Pablo Barrios - Fabian Ruiz - Pedri - Mikel Merino - Alex Baena - Fermin Lopez - Marc Roca.
Attack: Nico Williams - Yeremy Pino - Mikel Oyarzabal - Ferran Torres - Roberto Fernandez - Lamine Yamal - Ander Barrenetxea.
Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported that the Barcelona forward finished the match delighted with the win, but felt pain in his right knee. He underwent medical examinations on Monday morning at the "Joan Gamper" sports city, which showed no serious injury. Even so, the medical staffs of Barcelona and the Spanish national team agreed not to risk his participation against the Czech Republic, and to give him time to recover.
Former Spain midfielder Jordi Marti backs the call. The close monitoring of the player's condition at Barcelona since 2024 justifies it, he argues, because the club holds complete medical files, physiotherapists and doctors who know the details of his situation well.
Prominent Spanish journalist Javier Herraiz went further. He reckons the Spanish federation chose "the good relationship" with Barcelona over tension, adding that Yamal's absence "is not a catastrophe".
Spanish sports analyst Julio Pulido wasn't convinced. He couldn't hide his surprise, pointing out that no called-up player had ever returned to his club to recover while in the national team camp, and he asked bluntly: "What is the point of the national team doctors if not for this purpose?"
Journalist Miguel Martin Talavera cut to the heart of the matter, warning of the message the decision sends: "The special player can do whatever he wants". Anton Meana backed him up, branding the situation "abnormal" and calling for it to be analysed seriously.
So where does that leave De la Fuente? Caught between the federation's keenness on a harmonious relationship with Barcelona and fears of setting a precedent that puts a player's status above national team discipline, his decision remains a matter of controversy. Is it merely a realistic medical measure, or the beginning of special treatment that breaks the rule of equality within "La Roja"? Yamal's return against England may well provide the answer.