In the aftermath of a fiery El Clasico clash, former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has staunchly defended Lamine Yamal and criticised Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal, labelling him ‘finished’. The heated exchange followed Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory at the weekend, with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham eclipsing Fermin Lopez’s effort for Barcelona.
As Los Blancos edged five points clear in La Liga, tension simmered with Yamal’s pre-match comments accusing Real Madrid of being a club that “steal and complain.” Carvajal and Vinicius Junior were seen directing pointed gestures at the young Spaniard post-match, while Bellingham cheekily remarked on social media that “talk is cheap.”
Gaspart, speaking passionately on *La Posesion*, defended the E Barca starlet: “Who the hell is Carvajal? Once a great player, but he’s past it now. There’s no reason for Lamine to address Carvajal if his words weren’t meant for him.”
Acknowledging the pressure on Yamal’s shoulders, Gaspart added, “The mistake was in anointing him the best in the world too soon. He has the potential, but he’s yet to reach those heights.”
Elsewhere, Arsene Wenger weighed in on the encounter, remarking to beIN Sports, that Barcelona found themselves playing a “men against boys” contest in certain areas as Xabi Alonso’s well-drilled Madrid side outclassed their eternal rivals.
Wenger observed a robust defensive performance from Madrid ever-reliable, whilst Barcelona, sans Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, appeared blunt in attack. “Madrid looked threatening with every foray forward, in contrast to Barcelona,” he noted.
Wenger praised Real’s defensive organisation, saying, “Credit to Xabi Alonso for the balance he achieved,” and pointed out Barcelona’s inexperience after losing seasoned defender Inigo Martinez. Wenger commented on their lacking maturity, particularly on Kylian Mbappe’s goal. “Handling crucial moments defines such match-ups, and today, Barcelona came up short.”
Ultimately, Wenger concluded: “In El Clasico, the individual brilliance, the vision and decisive runs, those elements are pivotal, and Madrid had that spark.”