“It all depends on the person” – Barcelona Starlet Lamine Yamal Not Afraid Of Pedri-Esque Burnout As Fixtures Mount Up

Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal has expressed his desire to play in every possible game from club and country, revealing he is not afraid of suffering a burnout similar to his teammate Pedri.

What Happened To Pedri?

Following a successful loan spell at Las Palmas, Barcelona midfielder Pedri found his way into the Blaugrana’s first-team roster in the 2020-21 season. In his first full senior season, Pedri played a whopping 72 matches for Barca and Spain in all competitions. He dazzled everyone with his performances in that season, but playing with such frequency took a massive toll on his health.

Over the last three seasons, Pedri has suffered a plethora of injuries, missing around 50 La Liga games as a result. The Spain international is currently nursing a hamstring injury and could miss a month of soccer.

Barcelona Ace Lamine Yamal Not Afraid Of Pedri Fate

Following in the footsteps of Pedri, Yamal has become one of the youngest breakout stars in Spain. The La Masia graduate is the youngest-ever scorer in La Liga and for Spain and the youngest debutant for La Roja. Yamal has become one of the most integral players at Barcelona under Xavi and will likely hold similar status under Spain boss Luis de la Fuente.

Between La Liga and Champions League action for Barcelona and the 2024 European Championship and Paris Olympics for Spain, Yamal could have a rather busy few months. The 16-year-old, however, is not worried.

Asked if he wanted to represent Spain in both EURO 2024 and the Olympics, Yamal said (via Forbes):

“Anything that means playing is good for me. Whatever comes, fine, but first we’ll think about the European Championship.”

Playing so many games exposes a developing player to long-term fitness issues, which has happened to Barcelona’s Pedri. When quizzed if he was wary of something similar happening to him, the right-winger replied:

“Well, in the end it all depends on the person. 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.”

Yamal has played 39 games for Barcelona in all competitions this season, scoring six times and providing seven assists. Meanwhile, for Spain, he has appeared in four games, scoring twice.