Yamal sparks Real Madrid fury before El Clasico: ‘Thinks he’s the king of football’

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has attracted the ire of Real Madrid after jokingly accusing them of ‘stealing’ and ‘complaining all the time’ amid growing concerns over the youngster’s behaviour.

The 18-year-old has become a footballing megastar since making his Barcelona debut in April 2023, finishing runner-up in this year’s Ballon d’Or ranking. Yamal’s youthful exuberance is a massive asset on the pitch for the winger, but it is increasingly causing problems off it.

The teenager embraces the spotlight, but he has yet to learn that not every bit of media attention is desirable. He sparked massive outrage in Spain with his lavish 18th birthday celebrations, which included hiring people with dwarfism as performers.

His behaviour has increasingly come under scrutiny, with his seemingly limitless confidence more often than not viewed as arrogance. Because of some of his recent missteps, Barcelona chief Deco and Yamal’s superagent Jorge Mendes have decided to get more involved in his daily life.

Catalunya Radio reports that Mendes’ recent trip to Barcelona included a three-hour lunch with Deco, at which it was decided to protect Yamal and the club from himself essentially. Given that he is swiftly becoming one of the faces of football, they want to offer guidance to avoid controversy that could damage Barcelona and the youngster’s own brand.

Yamal ruffles Real Madrid feathers

However, this new approach has yet to yield fruit, and Yamal is once again in the news this week. Ahead of El Clasico on Sunday, the 18-year-old appeared on a show hosted by Gerard Pique’s Kings League and ruffled some Real Madrid feathers.

Speaking about one of the teams competing in the Kings League, Yamal drew a comparison with Los Blancos by joking that “they steal, they complain all the time.” Naturally, this lighthearted comment has sparked outrage among Real Madrid’s fanbase.

Real Madrid ‘insider’ Edu Aguirre later appeared on El Chiringuito to take Yamal to task for his comment. “He thinks he’s the king of football,” Aguirre thundered.

“He barely reaches [Cristiano] Ronaldo. No player can say that an institution steals. I don’t care if he’s with his friends in the Kings League. He thinks he’s above everything, good, evil.”

Another Spanish influencer, quoted by Foot Mercato, said: “This video of Lamine Yamal should be shown at Valdebebas. Starting tomorrow morning. The first thing the players should see is this guy putting Real Madrid down. It’s time to put him in his place.”

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