Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Bernabeu in heated game amid Lamine Yamal's scathing remarks
After Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal made provocative statements about Real Madrid, their manager Xabi Alonso played down the matter.
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has responded in a diplomatic manner to the comments made by Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal in the run-up to Sunday’s El Clásico clash between the two teams. Madrid ultimately won the game 2-1, but ahead of the fixture, Yamal's comments had dominated headlines.
As per Sports Illustrated, Yamal had made unflattering remarks about Los Blancos in an interview broadcast on YouTube. Referring to the Alonso-coached side, he said: “Yes, they steal, they complain, they do things.” He then followed up on those comments with an Instagram status update where he shared a picture of himself celebrating in front of angry Madrid fans during his team’s 4-0 win over them last season.
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Xabi Alonso on Yamal's comments
However, Alonso did not let himself be dragged into the matter, simply saying at the pre-match press conference:
“It’s a big enough match, it has a lot of ingredients, and that’s what excites us most for tomorrow,” the manager said.
“I’m not going to go into that. There are a lot of statements from people at Barcelona and I can’t analyze them all,” he added, when prodded further about Yamal’s comments, as per SI.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Lamine Yamal and his team could not back up his words with their performance as they lost 2-1 to their storied rivals. This ended Los Blancos’ four-game losing streak against their El Clásico opponents.
The two goals for Barcelona were scored by Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. Mbappe, who also missed a penalty later in the game, gave his team the lead in the 22nd minute. However, Fermin Lopez equalized in the 38th.
In the 43rd minute, though, Bellingham regained the lead for the home team, which sustained for the rest of the game. With this win, Madrid strengthened their lead atop the standings in La Liga.
During the course of the game, there were tense moments involving the two teams. Yamal, who was the center of attention due to his words, could not leave a lasting impression on this game.
FAQs
What is El Clásico?
El Clásico refers to the matches between arch-rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Spanish league – La Liga.
Who is Lamine Yamal?
Yamal is a teenage prodigy who plays as a winger for Barcelona.
Who won the El Clásico?
Real Madrid won the match 2-1.
