No playing, yet Barca still defends Yamal amid the brawl

Despite not playing because of injury, Raphinha touched Barcelona supporters by running onto the pitch to shield Lamine Yamal in the midst of the post-match clash with Real Madrid.

The El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona ended with a 2-1 victory for the Bernabéu hosts, but the aftermath of this fierce encounter continued. The focus after the match was not only on the result but also on Raphinha’s image — the injured player rushing onto the field to protect young teammate Lamine Yamal from the encircling Real Madrid players.

According to Football España, immediately after the final whistle, a minor altercation erupted between players of both teams. The cause was controversial remarks from Lamine Yamal before the match, where the 18-year-old Barca talent accused Real Madrid of “complaining a lot and being favored by the referees.” These comments upset Real stars like Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois, and Vinícius Junior, leading to a tense verbal exchange after the game.

Amid the heated atmosphere, Raphinha, who was injured and not playing, acted in a way that earned admiration from fans. The Brazilian star quickly left the technical area, stepped onto the pitch, and positioned himself between Yamal and the approaching Real Madrid players. Reporters on site captured Raphinha repeatedly spreading his arms to prevent escalation and protect his younger teammate from being drawn into the chaos.

This courageous act was widely praised by Barcelona supporters. On social media, many fans dubbed Raphinha the “captain without the armband” for his readiness to defend his teammates even in the most sensitive moments.

Although the El Clasico loss set Barca back in the La Liga title race, the unity shown by Raphinha became a bright spot on a tense night at the Bernabéu. The image of the Brazilian player bravely protecting Lamine Yamal symbolizes the fighting spirit and strong camaraderie within Barcelona — qualities that coach Hansi Flick surely wants to preserve moving forward.