Rafinha Alcantara Slams Lamine Yamal for ‘Immature’ Comments That Fired Up Real Madrid
- Ex-Barcelona star Rafinha Alcantara has criticised Lamine Yamal as Real Madrid enjoyed a 2-1 El Clásico win on Sunday
- Yamal’s pre-match remarks on Twitch went viral and reportedly fired up the Madrid dressing room
- Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo defended Yamal, insisting the 18-year-old did nothing wrong and that Madrid players overreacted
Former Barcelona midfielder Rafinha Alcantara has criticised teenage sensation Lamine Yamal for what he described as a “lack of maturity” following Barça’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, October 26.
The 18-year-old winger was at the centre of controversy before and after the match, with Rafinha suggesting his comments gave Los Blancos “extra motivation” to dominate the heated encounter.
Source: Getty Images
Yamal’s words backfire in heated El Clásico
Before the match, Yamal appeared on Twitch, where he made remarks about Real Madrid that didn’t sit well with fans or players, saying:
“Yes, of course, they steal, they complain…”
Those words quickly went viral and reportedly fired up Madrid’s dressing room, as cited by SportsKeeda.
When the two sides met, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham struck for Real Madrid, sealing a crucial victory that sent them five points clear at the top of La Liga.
Although Barcelona managed a first-half equaliser through Fermín López, they couldn’t hold on, and tempers boiled over late in the game after Pedri’s red card for a rough challenge on Aurelien Tchouameni.
After the final whistle, Yamal was confronted by Vinicius Junior, Dani Carvajal, and Thibaut Courtois as emotions ran high. Rafinha didn’t hold back in his post-match comments to DAZN, as featured by beINSPORTS, saying:
“He sinned through youth and a lack of maturity in saying what he said. His words gave extra motivation to Madrid.”
In addition, former Real Madrid midfielder Guti agreed, remarking that Yamal was “too young to understand the history and rivalry” between the two Spanish giants.
Source: Getty Images
Barcelona teammates rally behind Yamal
Despite the criticism, Yamal found strong support within the Barcelona camp. Frenkie de Jong defended the youngster, arguing that the Madrid players overreacted:
“When the game ended, several Madrid players went straight for Lamine, it was too much. He never said Madrid cheats.”
De Jong also called out Carvajal for publicly confronting the teen, saying such matters “should be handled privately.”, rather than putting him under fire.
Moreover, defender Ronald Araújo echoed similar sentiments, insisting Yamal remains “a great professional who knows what he’s doing.”
On the flip side, Real Madrid’s Tchouameni, however, admitted the teenager’s remarks added fuel to their fire:
“It gave us a little boost. There’s no bad blood, but those things light you up,” he told reporters after the win.
As the dust settles, Barcelona’s young prodigy has learned a tough lesson about the emotional stakes of El Clásico—one that even his immense talent couldn’t protect him from.
Lamine Yamal's 2026 Ballon d'Or chances
Earlier, YEN.com.gh examined Lamine Yamal’s 2026 Ballon d’Or prospects amid El Clásico controversies.
However, with Kylian Mbappé taking a strong lead in the race, the young Spaniard’s chances appear to be fading.
Source: YEN.com.gh
