Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso doesn’t want to give much thought to the controversial comments from Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal, who accused Madrid of “stealing and complaining.” Alonso side-stepped the comments as he faced questions from reporters on Saturday, a day before Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid.
“It’s a big enough match, it has a lot of ingredients, and that’s what excites us most for tomorrow,” Alonso said as he refused to address Yamal’s comments, per Sports Illustrated.
As reporters continued to resurface questions about Yamal’s comments, the manager still stayed firm on his stance.
“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.”
Alonso was also asked if Yamal’s comments would have any effect on the Spanish national team. Again, however, Alonso chose to focus on Sunday’s game.
“What I have in mind is that it’s going to be an intense and hard-fought match,” Alonso said, once again brushing off the controversy. “We have to be prepared, compete at the highest level and have the energy needed to play a top match.”
What were the controversial comments Lamine Yamal made about Real Madrid?
Yamal took shots at Real Madrid as he sat down for a TV interview on Friday, Reuters reported. The Barca star said Real Madrid gets an advantage from the referees because they cheat and complain. While making accusations of cheating, Yamal also reminded fans that Barcelona still dominated their rivals 4-0 last season at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid.
What happened during Sunday’s match between Real Madrid and Barcelona?
After Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 on Sunday, a scuffle broke out at the end of the game. Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal approached Yamal and made a gesture with his hands, which led to a clash between the players, ESPN reported.
“If Carvajal wanted to speak to Lamine, he could do so in private,” Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong told reporters after the game. “If he thinks he shouldn’t do things like [make those comments], he could call him. They’re teammates (with Spain), they know each other. Why do you have to make a scene on the pitch?”