Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal finds himself at the heart of a storm in the Camp Nou dressing room, with tensions reportedly rising following his conduct on and off the pitch. The Catalan club faced a bruising 2-1 defeat against arch-rivals Real Madrid in the season’s first El Clasico, with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham sealing the triumph for Los Blancos either side of a strike from Fermin Lopez.
Following the setback, Barcelona now find themselves trailing Real Madrid by five points in the La Liga title race, with Hansi Flick’s side struggling to match the might of Xabi Alonso’s men. The run-up to this heated clash was overshadowed by Yamal’s controversial remarks on the Kings League show ‘Chup Chup’, where he provocatively suggested that Real Madrid “steal and complain.”
Such comments might have lit a fire under Madrid, with Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior—who has since apologised for his own outburst following a substitution—making ‘talking’ gestures towards Yamal during and after the contest. A post-match scuffle involving both team benches illustrated the boiling tensions, with Yamal squarely in the eye of this storm.
Further turbulence comes from within Barcelona’s ranks, as teammate Raphinha publicly criticised Yamal post-match for providing Real Madrid with “extra motivation.” Raphinha commented: “He was guilty of being young and lacking maturity to say what he said. His words gave Real Madrid extra motivation.”
In response, Barcelona have apparently decided to constrain Yamal’s public exposure, limiting his media interactions in the foreseeable future. The problems extend beyond the club, with some of Yamal’s compatriots in the Spanish squad reportedly voicing unease to national coach Luis de la Fuente.
Sources claim that a segment of the squad believes Yamal’s work rate, particularly when the team is out of possession, has diminished, impacting overall team pressing. His defensive contributions, once a strength, have come under scrutiny.
Moreover, Yamal’s burgeoning media presence appears to be unsettling his colleagues. What was once seen as youthful promise is now perceived as youthful arrogance, with whispers of a distant demeanour replacing the humility of old. In a changing room that prizes unity over individual swagger, such traits are sowing discord.
In response, senior players are urging for intervention, pressing de la Fuente to restore equilibrium within the squad. They caution against treating Yamal with the reverence reserved for seasoned veterans, wary of the potential disharmony if he continues as an unchallenged figure.
As the young phenom stands on the brink of superstardom, with the 2026 Ballon d’Or race pitting him against Mbappe, how he navigates this internal schism could prove pivotal to his trajectory both for club and country.