Lamine Yamal is Muslim and scrupulously observes the rules of Ramadan, which began on March 1 and ends on the 30th of the same month.
Ramadan requires, during the month of March, observing daytime fasting and praying five times a day.
Neither Eating Nor Drinking During Daylight Hours
The prayers are of little or no concern to Barça, but the fasting is a challenge for the club's medical staff.
What does cause concern is that, in addition to not eating, he also can't hydrate during daylight hours. Without eating or drinking all day, the club's nutritionists must balance so that when food and liquid intake can occur, it is not harmful.
Schedules change, and nutrition and hydration must be adapted to the matches. Today, for example, Lamine Yamal hasn't eaten anything all day and did so shortly before the match.
All details must be taken care of so that he doesn't go out to play heavy and with a full stomach. But he also can't go out to play with an empty stomach and signs of weakness.
Lamine Is Not the First Muslim to Observe Ramadan at Barça
Lamine Yamal, in any case, is not the first case at Barça of a footballer observing Ramadan. Previously, Dembélé, Kessié, and Ansu Fati did so.
Lamine Yamal must hydrate conscientiously before the daily start of fasting because later, during training, while his teammates drink water, he must endure until night without drinking.
The club has taken all precautionary measures, with the participation of nutritionist Silvia Tremoleda. And in the first test, the Barça-Real Sociedad (4-0) match, it didn't seem that Lamine showed signs of weakness.
The club's nutrition department has developed a specific plan for him. The goal is to ensure that the change in meal schedules doesn't affect his performance.
Barça faces this issue with Lamine Yamal, but Benfica has four players in the same situation. They are Orkun Kökçü, Kerem Akturkoglu, Zeki Amdouni, and Adrian Bajrami.