La Liga Latest: Barca delay Lamine Yamal pay rise as Real Madrid face injury crisis

Barca put Yamal's pay rise on hold after hitting La Liga salary cap

Barcelona have been forced to put Lamine Yamal's proposed €20 million net-a-year salary increase – which would make him the club's highest earner – on hold after their wage bill hit €581m, leaving them just €1m under La Liga's strict spending limit. The Catalan giants must wait for their salary cap to rise to €636m before they can register the teenager's lucrative new deal. The setback comes just as the wonderkid's impressive run of scoring or assisting in nine consecutive matches came to an end following the win against Croatia.

Real Madrid face defensive crisis ahead of Villarreal clash

An injury crisis has decimated Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid defence ahead of their clash with Villarreal, with Dean Huijsen suspended, Raul Asencio sidelined, and Eder Militao still lacking match fitness. To cope with the shortage, Mourinho is considering handing 21-year-old Castilla centre-back Oscar Naasei a surprise start. Meanwhile, the fitness of both Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe remains touch-and-go, while the club's hierarchy are keen to hand an opportunity to Yan Diomande.

Barca handed injury boost ahead of Getafe as Valencia sweat over Gaya's future

Barcelona have been handed a massive double boost ahead of their Getafe clash, with Frenkie de Jong and Karim Adeyemi returning to full training as they look to maintain their perfect start and stay top of the table. Meanwhile, Valencia have been plunged into uncertainty after captain Jose Luis Gaya cast doubt over his long-term future, despite praising new manager Javier Aguirre, with his current contract set to expire in June 2027.