Barcelona to start run-in for La Liga title without the injured Yamal at Getafe

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona will start its run-in for the La Liga title without the injured Lamine Yamal when it visits Getafe on Saturday.

The defending champion said on Thursday that Yamal, the team's top scorer and assist maker, will miss the final six games of the season after he injured a muscle in his left leg while playing the day before.

The 18-year-old Yamal secured the 1-0 win over Celta Vigo in La Liga on Wednesday but after his spot kick he immediately dropped to the ground and grabbed the back of his left leg. He was promptly substituted.

Barcelona added that its doctors expect Yamal will be fit in time to play for Spain at the World Cup starting in seven weeks.

Barcelona holds a healthy nine-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid as the season enters its home stretch.

Madrid visits fifth-placed Real Betis on Friday needing a victory to maintain its options of catching the defending champion. Madrid will visit Barcelona in three rounds on May 10.

La Liga is the only chance either powerhouse has to finish the season with a major title after both were eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals last week.

“Our objective has to be to win all six matches, regardless of what Barcelona does," said Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso midseason and is most likely to be replaced this summer.

Atletico, which beat Barcelona to reach the final four of the Champions League, will most likely prioritize next week’s semifinal against Arsenal over its domestic match against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Coach Diego Simeone is sure to rotate his squad and rest his best players for Wednesday's home game against Arsenal.

Villarreal hosts Celta on Sunday aiming to hold onto third place and the corresponding Champions League berth for next season.

With Raphinha also likely to be unavailable, coach Hansi Flick still has options to form his starting front line. They include forward Marcus Rashford, winger Roony Bardghji or even Dani Olmo, Gavi Paéz or Fermín López shifting forward from the midfield.

Kylian Mbappé leads the league with 24 goals — three more than Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi — after he scored to help Madrid beat Alaves 2-1 on Tuesday. That broke a winless run of four games overall for Arbeloa's side.

Besides Yamal and Raphinha, Barcelona will likely also be without right back Joao Cancelo after he was injured in the Celta win, too.

Madrid will be missing central defender Éder Militão and in-form midfielder Arda Güler after the club said on Wednesday they both had muscle injuries.

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Barcelona's Lamine Yamal leaves the pitch injured during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Celta Vigo in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is seeking counseling and will not be with the team for Day 3 of the NFL Draft on Saturday, following the publication of photos of the coach and longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort.

“As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel told ESPN on Wednesday night. “This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.

“I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”

The Patriots confirmed Vrabel will miss the third day of the draft.

The photos of Vrabel and Russini at a Sedona resort were taken before the annual NFL meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29, according to the New York Post, which published the photos this month.

The NFL said last weekend that it is not investigating Vrabel’s behavior.

Vrabel addressed the matter for the first time on Tuesday, telling reporters he’s had “ difficult conversations with people I care about.”

Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, released written statements to the Post after the publication of the story downplaying what the photos depict. But Russini resigned from The Athletic less than a week later, after the Post’s report prompted an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet.

Vrabel said he addressed players about the matter on Monday after they arrived for the start of the voluntary workout program. Two Patriots players were scheduled to be made available to reporters on Tuesday, but Vrabel said he wanted to speak before they did. He also said he didn’t want the interest in the Post photos to take attention away from the NFL draft, which begins Thursday.

AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower contributed to this report.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks during an NFL football press conference, Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)