Before the El Clasico, Lamine Yamal worried Barcelona by becoming embroiled in a controversy due to his sensitive comments about Real Madrid, at a time when the club is striving to safeguard the reputation of this promising player.
According to Catalunya Radio, sports director Deco proactively arranged a meeting between Yamal and his agent Jorge Mendes, amid Barcelona’s internal concerns about managing the young player’s image and mental state. The meeting was described as “a supportive visit,” because, according to sources, “the rise of the Lamine Yamal phenomenon” has caused some awkward situations within the team in recent months.
Just before the El Clásico, Yamal became the focus of public attention again when he appeared on a program within the Kings League system founded by Gerard Piqué, making remarks that upset Real Madrid.
When asked about a team participating in the Kings League, Yamal jokingly said “they steal and complain all day,” implying Real Madrid. This seemingly casual comment immediately went viral on social media, enraging the Los Blancos fan community.
With Yamal gradually becoming a new global football icon, Barcelona and agent Mendes want to help him avoid controversies that could harm both his personal image and the club’s brand.
Commentator Edu Aguirre (considered “close to Real’s inner circle”) harshly criticized on the El Chiringuito show: “Does he think he’s the king of football? He’s nowhere near Cristiano Ronaldo’s level. No player has the right to call a club thieves. I don’t care if he jokes with friends in Kings League or elsewhere. He acts like he’s above everything, above right and wrong.”
Nevertheless, despite the uproar, Yamal is still expected to start against Real Madrid, especially since Robert Lewandowski has not yet recovered from injury to return to the attack.