Bad news has struck both Spain’s national team and FC Barcelona. Midfielder Dani Olmo was forced to leave Spain’s final training session before facing Georgia after feeling a sharp pain in his calf muscle.
The Barça playmaker, who was expected to start for Luis de la Fuente due to Spain’s shortage of forwards, will now return to Barcelona for medical tests. He will miss both 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, joining Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the list of attacking absences for La Roja.
During his press conference, Luis de la Fuente confirmed the situation:
“Dani arrived feeling tired and with some discomfort. He trained for about 15 minutes, then went for tests. We will provide more information soon.”
Understanding the Difference Between Olmo and Huijsen
Olmo will leave the Spain camp this Saturday due to a calf injury. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) stated that he had arrived with minor discomfort and muscular fatigue, similar to what happened with Dean Huijsen of Real Madrid. The defender was ruled out after medical scans revealed a muscle injury that will keep him sidelined for around two weeks.
At first glance, the two cases may seem identical, but there is a key difference. Dani Olmo’s condition was not initially serious. He arrived feeling only mild tension in his left leg, which did not require medical testing at first. In contrast, Huijsen underwent immediate examination after showing no improvement, and scans confirmed a genuine injury.
Huijsen was not released only for fatigue. He was confirmed to be injured, something Real Madrid later verified with tests at Valdebebas.
The Injury Occurred on Thursday
The problem for Olmo began during Thursday’s training session when he felt a sharp pain in one of his calves. Initially, it did not appear serious, as he continued participating in a sponsorship event later that same day. However, Friday brought the worst possible update.
As soon as he stepped onto the pitch, Olmo realized he could not complete a normal training session and had to stop immediately, accompanied by Spain’s medical staff.
The RFEF clarified that it has maintained close contact with FC Barcelona throughout the process. The club initially believed the issue was minor and linked it to accumulated fatigue after intense matches against PSG and Sevilla.
Following the Same Protocol as Huijsen
Huijsen’s situation unfolded earlier in the week. During Tuesday’s session, he lasted less than ten minutes before withdrawing due to pain. The next day, scans confirmed the injury, and he was officially released from the squad.
Olmo has now followed the same medical protocol. Tests performed on Friday confirmed a muscle injury in his calf. The Federation took the same steps as it did with Huijsen’s case, prioritizing the player’s recovery.
For Dani Olmo, the timing could not be worse. He arrived in excellent spirits and eager to prove himself after a slow start to the season with Barcelona. He saw this international break as the perfect chance to regain confidence and rhythm with Spain.
Unfortunately, that opportunity has vanished. Olmo will return to Barcelona on Saturday while the rest of the Spain squad travels to Elche to face Georgia in their first of two World Cup qualifiers.
The next step will come when Barcelona’s medical team conducts further examinations to determine the full extent of the injury and how long he will be out, with the hope that he might recover in time for El Clásico on October 26.
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