Frenkie de Jong of Barcelona voiced his disapproval of Dani Carvajal’s provocation towards Lamine Yamal following a heated Clásico that concluded with on-field skirmishes after the final whistle.
Real Madrid triumphed over Barcelona with a 2-1 scoreline, breaking a streak of four consecutive losses in Clásicos and increasing their La Liga lead over their Catalan rivals to five points.
Yamal faced jeers from the Madrid crowd throughout the match due to previous comments he made suggesting that the team benefits from questionable referee decisions while still complaining about them.
Carvajal’s actions aimed at Yamal appeared to escalate the tensions among the players.
“If Carvajal wanted to talk to Lamine, he could’ve done it privately,” De Jong remarked to reporters post-match. “If he feels Lamine shouldn’t make those remarks, he could just call him. They are teammates on the national team and know each other well. There’s no need for a spectacle on the pitch.”
Yamal had ignited tensions before the match by appearing on the Kings League’s YouTube channel, run by former Barça defender Gerard Piqué, where he likened Madrid to one of the teams in the league.
De Jong defended Yamal, insisting the comments were exaggerated. “Lamine didn’t accuse anyone of robbery directly,” he explained. “He’s involved in Kings League activities, and comments are made, but I’ve not heard Lamine explicitly say that.”
“I empathize with the Madrid players, but their response was over the top.”
This situation fostered a hostile environment for Yamal at the Santiago Bernabéu, as fans booed him when introduced and whistled at every touch throughout the match.
“It’s likely that the atmosphere affected him a bit; he’s also learning how to handle audience reactions,” remarked Barça assistant coach Marcus Sorg, who was filling in for the suspended Hansi Flick. “Generally, he’s very motivated and performs well, but it wasn’t easy for him today.”
In the match, Madrid’s defense effectively contained Yamal, with left-back Álvaro Carreras providing solid support backed by teammates.
Sorg acknowledged that Yamal is returning from a groin injury and emphasized the importance of not placing too much pressure on the young player. “He’s just returning to form and needs more game time at the top level. It’s natural; he’s 18 years old. We need to give him time and work together to help him perform at his best again.”
“Opponents often try to mark him two against one, aiming to prevent him from getting into scoring positions. That’s to be expected. He’s young and has room for improvement; we’re here to assist him.”
Real Madrid’s coach, Xabi Alonso, downplayed the post-game disputes. “It’s the tension of the moment for both teams,” he stated at the press conference. “These kinds of scuffles have always occurred, not just in this match. A lot was happening on the pitch. Some may consider it healthy as long as there’s respect; that’s how I see it.”
Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni noted that Yamal’s comments served as motivation for their squad leading up to the match. “I personally appreciate it,” he shared with reporters. “Words are just words; there’s no bad intention behind them, and they motivate us a bit more. If Lamine wishes to converse, we have no issue with it.”
Goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, along with one from Fermín López, secured the victory for Madrid in a game filled with significant refereeing decisions.
Madrid had an early penalty annulled and saw three goals disallowed for offside. They were ultimately awarded a penalty after a handball by Eric García, but Mbappé’s attempt was saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
Report contributed by ESPN’s Alex Kirkland.