Lamin Yamal will be out for between three and four weeks with damaged ankle ligaments, La Liga leaders Barcelona have said.

Spain winger Yamal missed three club games and two internationals with an ankle injury in November but returned to contribute four assists in five games before suffering a fresh problem in Barca’s 1-0 home defeat to Leganes on Sunday.

Estadi was substituted for 17-year-old Gavi in ​​the 75th minute at Olympique Lewis Co. as his side dropped points for the fifth time in six league matches.

Laminated Yamal. Golden Boy. pic.twitter.com/7oQ2kSan0h

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024

Yamal Injury: When will he return?

Yamal’s absence is a significant blow for Barcelona as they prepare to host second-placed Atletico Madrid on Saturday (8pm GMT).

The Euro 2024 winner is unlikely to miss when they visit fourth-tier Barbastro in the Copa del Rey round of 32 on January 4 (6pm), and the earliest he will return is their game against Athletic Bilbao in Jeddah in Spain. Super Cup semi-final on January 8 (7 pm).

Barcelona will then have a break of over 10 days in mid-January before visiting Getafe – who are currently fifth bottom of LaLiga.

Their seventh Champions League match of the campaign is on January 21 (7pm) at Portuguese side Benfica in the league stage.

Medical news ❗️

First team player Lamine Yamal suffered a blow to his right ankle during Sunday’s game against CD Leganes. Tests conducted on Monday revealed that the player has a grade 1 ligament injury in his ankle. The player is expected to be dismissed for 3… pic.twitter.com/IAFD0pWFSS

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 16, 2024

Yamal statistics

With six club goals and 11 assists this season, Yamal is Barca’s top scorer behind Robert Lewandowski and Rafinha and the third-most assists of any player in Europe’s big five leagues.

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Liverpool’s top scorer Mohamed Salah are the only players to have scored more goals in those categories.

He completed 90 minutes in each of Barcelona’s last three matches, including the assist for Ferran Torres’ 85th-minute winner in a 3–2 victory at Borussia Dortmund on 11 December.

Yamal lost three of four matches before Barcelona won 5–1 at Mallorca on 3 December, with the prodigy providing two assists.

🔄 substitute

→ 🟢 Gavi, Cubarsi
←🔴 Lamin Yamal, Eric#BarçaLeganés pic.twitter.com/QiaXXlFEB0

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 15, 2024

Barcelona: Yamal ‘very important’

“It’s very important,” manager Hansi Flick said after that match. “He can generate a lot of things for the team. We know its quality and we need it.

Barcelona’s loss of form has handed the initiative in the Spanish title race to Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, both of whom have more to play for than Flick’s side.

Atleti are level on points with them, while the current champions are a point behind.