Lamine Yamal scored Barcelona’s first goal against Celta Vigo on Wednesday, then immediately signaled to the bench that he was hurt after converting the penalty in the 40th minute. The 18-year-old dropped to the ground as his teammates rushed over to celebrate, then appeared to grab the back of his left leg.
Doctors attended to Yamal before he left the field on his own. He spoke briefly with coach Hansi Flick on the sideline and then walked into the locker-room tunnel by himself, a worrying scene for Barcelona with the player set to make his World Cup debut with Spain in June.
The injury came in a match played in Barcelona, Spain, on April 22, 2026, and it dulled what had been a bright moment for the teenager. Yamal has already become central enough to Barcelona’s attack that his goals draw notice well beyond the scoreline, including after his recent winner against Espanyol and in a previous exit against Atletico that drew praise from Thierry Henry.
For Barcelona, the immediate question is not how the goal was scored but how serious the problem in Yamal’s left leg might be. He walked away under his own power, but the sequence after the finish suggested discomfort that could matter far beyond Wednesday night if it keeps him from building toward June.
