Why Is Lamine Yamal Not Playing Tonight for Barcelona vs Osasuna?

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Why Is Lamine Yamal Not Playing Tonight for Barcelona vs Osasuna?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Pragjyoti Singh | Last updated May 2, 2026 3:00 PM ET

Barcelona travels to Estadio El Sadar tonight to face Osasuna in a match that could decide the league title.

The home side currently sits in the top half of the table and has a strong record at their own stadium. For Barcelona, a win tonight, combined with Real Madrid dropping points against Espanyol, would officially crown them as champions.

Hansi Flick’s enters this game in excellent domestic form, having won nine La Liga matches in a row.

While they have faced some difficult results in cup competitions, their league performance has remained steady.

The FC Barcelona team pose for a photo prior to the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and RC Celta de Vigo.Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

However, El Sadar is a difficult place to play, and Osasuna is known for a defensive style that makes it hard for opponents to create chances.

As the season moves into its final weeks, the focus for both managers is on the players available for these last few games.

Barcelona has received some positive news with the return of Raphinha and Marc Bernal to the squad, though both are expected to start on the bench.

Despite these returns, there has been one major question hanging over the lineup regarding the absence of the team's star player Lamine Yamal.

Why Is Lamine Yamal Not Playing for Barcelona vs Osasuna?

The reason Lamine Yamal is not playing tonight is a hamstring injury in his left leg. He suffered the tear while scoring a penalty during a 1-0 win against Celta Vigo on April 22.

After undergoing medical tests, the club confirmed he will miss the remainder of the domestic season.

While he will not feature for Barcelona again this term, he is expected to be fully recovered in time to play for Spain in the World Cup this June.

The match kicks off at 3:00 PM EDT today, Saturday, May 2, 2026.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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