Barcelona’s Yamal and Lewandowski Out Due to Injuries

FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski puts his hands on his head during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, in San Sebastian, Spain, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski puts his hands on his head during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, in San Sebastian, Spain, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
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Barcelona’s Yamal and Lewandowski Out Due to Injuries

FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski puts his hands on his head during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, in San Sebastian, Spain, 10 November 2024. (EPA)
FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski puts his hands on his head during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, in San Sebastian, Spain, 10 November 2024. (EPA)

There was more bad news for Barcelona a day after its second Spanish league loss, with the club saying Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski are sidelined by injuries.

Both players, who have been key for coach Hansi Flick this season, underwent tests on Monday. Yamal will be out for up to three weeks because of an ankle injury and Lewandowski will be rested for 10 days because of “trouble in the lumbar region of his back.”

Lewandowski is La Liga's top scorer with 14 after 12 matches. Many of the goals came with help from 17-year-old Yamal, one of Barcelona's most dangerous forwards in an attack that has outscored opponents 40-12 in La Liga and 15-5 in the Champions League.

Barcelona lost at Real Sociedad 1-0 in La Liga on Sunday, ending the team's seven-game winning streak across all competitions. The Catalan club remained six points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid.

Fermín López replaced Yamal in the attack on Sunday, when Barcelona couldn't get a single attempt on target against eighth-placed Sociedad. Lewandowski had a goal disallowed for offside.



No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
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No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton's struggles at Mercedes are not giving his future employers Ferrari any concern, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.

The seven-times Formula One world champion finished only 12th in Qatar on Sunday, the 39-year-old Briton's last race before his farewell to Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi season-ender next weekend.

He also finished 10th in Brazil last month, and 11th in the Saturday sprint there.

Asked after the race at Lusail if he was worried about Hamilton's form going into next year, Ferrari's Vasseur replied: "Not at all.

"I have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas, starting in P10 (10th place), finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I'm not worried at all."

Hamilton finished second in a Mercedes one-two with winner George Russell, who started on pole position, in Las Vegas on Nov. 24.

Hamilton collected two penalties on Sunday -- a five second one for a false start and the other a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane -- as well as a puncture.

At one point, clearly fed up, he sought to retire the car but his race engineer refused the request because the drive-through penalty would have been carried over to Abu Dhabi if left unserved.

The Briton, who turns 40 in January, has been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell this season and 5-1 in the sprints but has also won two grands prix.

"I know I've still got it," Hamilton said on Saturday. "It's just the car won't go faster. But I definitely know I've got it. It is not a question in my mind."

On Sunday he was prepared for one last push.

"I'm still standing, it's not how you fall, it's how you get back up, so I'll get back up tomorrow and give it another shot next week," he said.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff rejected any suggestion Hamilton was losing his speed.

"I'm certain that it's not true. It's just this generation of cars, particularly how the car is now," said the Austrian. "He's a late braker, he carries a lot of speed on the entry to the corner and the car doesn't take it."