Barcelona Frustrated as De la Fuente Defends Staff Over Dani Olmo Injury

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente defended his medical staff after Barcelona’s Dani Olmo sustained a calf injury on international duty. Amid reports that Barcelona had warned of Olmo’s fatigue, De la Fuente maintained the midfielder was fully fit when selected and was released only after his discomfort worsened during training.

When the Spanish national team announced that Dani Olmo had been sent home from international duty due to a calf injury, it sparked controversy between Barcelona and the national setup. The 27-year-old midfielder suffered the setback during Spain’s training camp ahead of their clash with Georgia, forcing him to withdraw from the squad. Reports from Catalan media suggested that Barcelona had previously warned the RFEF about Olmo’s muscular fatigue through a medical report, urging caution.

However, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente strongly denied those claims after his side’s victory over Georgia. He clarified that Olmo had been in perfect physical condition upon joining the squad and that there was no medical warning received from Barcelona. According to De la Fuente, the player only experienced slight discomfort and was kept out of training in hopes of recovery, but the pain worsened over time.

The coaching staff, prioritizing his health, decided to release him rather than risk aggravating the injury. Barcelona’s frustration remains understandable given recent fitness concerns, including Lamine Yamal’s injury during previous international duty. Yet, De la Fuente insisted that Spain’s medical team acted responsibly and in the best interests of both player and club.