Lamine Yamal has become the target of fierce criticism following Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid but the real blame, according to analysis, lies elsewhere.
The fallout erupted after Yamal’s appearance on Gerard Piqué’s Kings League stream, where the 18-year-old jokingly compared Ibai Llanos’ team to Madrid by asking whether they “steal and then complain.”
Yamal quickly tried to retract his comment, but media reports portrayed it as a direct insult toward Real Madrid, fuelling backlash ahead of the Clásico.
During Sunday’s match, Dani Carvajal made a “yapping” gesture toward the teenager, sparking a scuffle involving several players as tempers flared at the Bernabéu.
The post-match narrative, however, placed undue blame on Yamal, who was recovering from injury and still created a key chance for Jules Koundé late in the game.
Commentary suggests Piqué bears the heaviest responsibility for exposing Yamal to such scrutiny. He reportedly persuaded the youngster to appear in the Kings League, a move critics described as “crass, self-serving and irresponsible.”
Agent Jorge Mendes and Barcelona coach Hansi Flick were also accused of failing to protect the teenager, with Flick dismissing questions about Yamal’s off-pitch activity as “none of my business.”
Carvajal’s actions were also called immature given his previous praise of Yamal’s talent and the pair’s shared success at Euro 2024.
The overall sentiment is that the 18-year-old made an error in judgment but that the real fault lies with the experienced figures who should have guided him better.