FC Barcelona Prodigy Lamine Yamal Learns Pedri Lesson, Euros Olympics

FC Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal appears to have changed his tune by telling Mundo Deportivo that he doesn’t believe it would be “sensible” to play both the Euros and Olympics for Spain this summer.

In a recent interview with MARCA when broached on the topic, Lamine said: “Anything that means playing is good for me. Whatever comes, fine, but first we’ll think about the European Championship.”

Asked whether he feared suffering the same fate as club and country teammate Pedri, who played both major tournaments in his breakout season, but is yet to star in over 50% of the matches in a term since while currently sidelined once more through injury, the 16-year-old was defiant.

“Well, in the end it all depends on the person,” he said. “There is still a long way to go. I don’t know, it’s something that can happen, but hey – everything that involves playing I’ll be available.”

Less than three weeks later, however, Lamine seems to have changed his tune – or at least formed a stronger opinion regarding the matter.

“It wouldn’t be sensible to go to both [tournaments] because in the end, since I’ve been a starter, it’s been about not being burdened and playing too much and it wouldn’t make sense to go to both.

“But obviously if I have to go, in the end you’re playing for Spain and it’s a dream,” Lamine confessed.

When Pedri’s cautionary tale was again raised, Lamine this time cited it as “an example of what can happen”.

Lamine’s fresh remarks come in the wake of Sporting Director Deco indicating Barca might refuse their players the right to play both tournaments during an appearance on the Que T’hi Juegues program.

“We don’t want any player to go to the European Championship and the Games. The [Spanish Football] federation knows that, but you have to talk to the players and manage it,” Deco said, the day after Lamine’s MARCA interview was published.

Given they are well under the Olympics’ football tournament age limit of 23, Lamine and his fellow La Masia graduate Pau Cubarsi have both been talked about as potential La Roja squad members.

As the athletics spectacle nears, however, it appears as though the teenagers might not make the trip to Paris after all.