Yamal sparks controversy in Spain after De la Fuente's decision: has he become "above the law"?

In a move that sparked a storm of comments, the technical staff of the Spain national team, led by Luis de la Fuente, decided to allow young talent Lamine Yamal to remain at Barcelona to recover from pain in his right knee, rather than join the camp at Las Rozas.

Symptoms appeared after the clash with Atletico Madrid, and the decision means the star will miss tomorrow's fixture against the Czech Republic on Thursday. He'll join up with the national team later for the match against England.

Yamal skipped training last Monday. Medical examinations followed, and the staff opted to grant him a few days of rest at his club. The measure did not pass unnoticed. Instead it became the focal point of a heated discussion on the famous radio programme "El Larguero".

Spain's preliminary squad for the current camp included the following names:

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon - David Raya - Joan Garcia - Alvaro Valles.

Defence: Pedro Porro - Marc Pubill - Aymeric Laporte - Pau Cubarsi - Dean Huijsen - Jacobo Ramon - Marc Cucurella - Alejandro Grimaldo.

Midfield: Martin Zubimendi - Pablo Barrios - Fabian Ruiz - Pedri - Mikel Merino - Alex Baena - Fermin Lopez - Marc Roca.

Attack: Nico Williams - Yeremy Pino - Mikel Oyarzabal - Ferran Torres - Roberto Fernandez - Lamine Yamal - Ander Barrenetxea.

Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported that the Barcelona forward finished the match happy with the victory but felt pain in his right knee. He underwent medical examinations on Monday morning at the "Joan Gamper" sports city, which showed there was no serious injury. The medical staffs of both Barcelona and the Spanish national team agreed not to risk his participation against the Czech Republic and to give him a chance to recover.

Former Spanish midfielder Jordi Marti believes the close monitoring of the player's condition at Barcelona since 2014 justifies the decision. He points out that the club possesses complete medical files, physiotherapists and doctors who know the details of his condition well.

Prominent Spanish journalist Javier Herraiz went further. He affirmed that the Spanish federation chose the "good relationship" with Barcelona rather than tension, adding that Yamal's absence "is not a catastrophe".

Spanish sports analyst Julio Pulido expressed his great surprise. He said no called-up player had ever returned to his club to recover while in the national team camp, and asked frankly: "What is the point of the national team's doctors if not for this purpose?".

Miguel Martin Talavera cut to the heart of the matter, warning of the message the decision sends: "The special player can do whatever he wants". Anton Meana backed him, describing the situation as "abnormal" and calling for it to be analysed seriously.

So the controversy rumbles on. The federation craves a harmonious relationship with Barcelona, yet fears setting a precedent in which the player's status is favoured over the national team's discipline. Is De la Fuente's call merely a realistic medical measure, or the beginning of special treatment that breaks the rule of equality within "La Roja"? Yamal's return against England may answer that question in the coming days.