Lamine Yamal expected to start for Spain in Konya qualifier

Lamine Yamal is expected to start for Spain in Sunday’s World Cup qualifier in Konya after training on Saturday, the Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said, despite the Barcelona winger showing signs of back discomfort earlier in the international window and a later off-field scare in Turkey when he briefly misplaced his passport. De la Fuente said there were no significant fitness concerns within the squad as Spain prepared to travel, and footage and reports indicate Yamal trained normally ahead of the match.

Yamal, 18, played a key role in Spain’s recent fixtures, creating chances in the 3-0 win over Bulgaria and supplying two assists in Spain’s 6-0 win over Turkey, according to match reports. He left the Bulgaria match with what appeared to be a back problem and did not take part in a Friday training session as a precaution, but de la Fuente said Saturday’s session would determine whether starters were fatigued and added that “there is no discomfort from any player that is important.” The coach also praised Mikel Oyarzabal and captain Alvaro Morata, calling them reliable and important to the team.

Accounts vary slightly over Yamal’s exact contributions in each game. Several...