Birmingham City's opponents in their second preseason fixture, FC Barcelona, are missing a notable name from their starting lineup-No. 10 Lamine Yamal. His absence may have initially sparked concerns among supporters about a possible injury, but there is no fitness issue behind the decision. Instead, the 19-year-old, who helped Spain win the FIFA World Cup, is unavailable because of FIFA regulations requiring clubs to provide players who participated in the tournament with a minimum 21-day rest period. The rule is designed to give players adequate recovery time after the World Cup and reduce the risk of injury before the new season begins.
Lamine Yamal played in every one of Spain's matches during their FIFA World Cup-winning campaign, including the full 120 minutes of the final against Argentina. Although the Barcelona No. 10 found the back of the net only once during the tournament, his influence extended far beyond goals. His pace, dribbling ability, and dangerous deliveries from wide areas consistently troubled opposing defenses throughout Spain's run.
Yamal also played a key role in the semi-final against France, winning the opening penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal converted to put Spain ahead. Other key players who are unavailable for the friendly include Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Eric Garcia, Joan Garcia, and Pau Cubarsi.
Barcelona's starting lineup for Friday's preseason clash featured Wojciech Szczesny in goal, with Jofre Torrents, Gerard Martin, Andreas Christensen, and Xavi Espart making up the back line. Marc Bernal, Marc Casado, and Ebrima Tunkara started in midfield, while Shane Kluivert, Hamza Abdelkarim, and new signing Karim Adeyemi led the attack. With several first-team regulars unavailable because of FIFA's mandatory post-World Cup rest period, Barcelona handed opportunities to a number of academy and fringe players who typically see limited action during the regular season.
League standing (final 2025 table): 10th in Championship, 64 points, 17 wins, 13 draws, 16 losses from 46 games, recent form DWWDW. Goals this season: 57 scored, 56 conceded (+1 goal difference). Title race: 31 points behind leaders Coventry.
