Former Barcelona president offers advice to teenage starlet after El Clasico fiasco – ‘Must win back fans’ | OneFootball

Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has offered some heartfelt yet firm advice to Lamine Yamal, following the backlash the youngster faced after his controversial comments about Real Madrid before the El Clasico. 

The 18-year-old’s remarks during a Kings League appearance – “They steal, they complain…” – stirred a storm of reactions from both Madrid players and fans, setting the stage for heated exchanges on and off the pitch.

After the match, emotions flared when Dani Carvajal confronted Yamal, publicly reproaching him for his words and sparking a scuffle that became the talk of Spanish football. 

Gaspart’s advice

Addressing the incident, Gaspart made it clear that his concern for Yamal stems from affection rather than criticism. 

As he put it, the young winger is being guided out of love, “He is loved,” Gaspart said, comparing the situation to that of “a father scolding his son.”

He went on to criticise those who prematurely labelled Yamal as the best in the world, warning that such praise can do more harm than good for a player still in development.

“He is not the best in the world. He wasn’t last year either. He may become the best, but he isn’t yet,” Gaspart told SPORT.

Lamine Yamal had a serious brawl with the Real Madrid players. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

When addressing the tense exchange with Carvajal, Gaspart didn’t hold back his opinion. He bluntly questioned the Real Madrid captain’s reaction, saying:

“Who the hell is Carvajal? He was a great player, but he’s finished now. Why should Lamine call him out when his comments weren’t even directed at him?”

Situation will resolve on its own

Despite his strong words, the former Barcelona president expressed confidence that the conflict would not escalate further, believing that both players would likely shake hands at their next Spain call-up.

Gaspart also raised an important point about Yamal’s physical condition, suggesting the youngster should prioritise recovery over constant play:

“If Lamine is not in top condition, it is better for him to stop and not play. 

“He should play when he is in top condition and not have any possible excuses, so he can slow down and recover.”

Finally, Gaspart urged Barcelona to handle Yamal’s situation with care, emphasising that no one is better suited for the job than Hansi Flick. 

Yet, he reminded Yamal that representing Barça comes with responsibility:

“It is clear that he needs to be looked after, but Barça is above him. There are fans who love him very much, and he cannot let them down. 

“He must win back those fans and realise that people take into account that even though he is 18, he earns like a 30-year-old,” he concluded.