Real Madrid players channeled anger towards Barcelona star to fuel El Clasico win | OneFootball

Tensions ran high following Sunday’s El Clasico, and it is now clear why emotions boiled over at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

According to MARCA (h/t Madrid Zone), several Real Madrid players took strong offence to comments made by Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal in the build-up to the match, remarks that became the spark behind the post-game chaos.

Before the clash, Yamal appeared on the Kings League, where he accused Real Madrid of being habitual “thieves.” 

The statement quickly spread across Spain and was viewed within Madrid’s dressing room as deeply disrespectful. 

For the players, such words crossed a line that even legends like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, or Andres Iniesta never dared to approach, not even during the fiercest moments of the Mourinho-Guardiola era.

The reaction from the Real Madrid camp was immediate. Those words added fuel to an already fiery rivalry. 

Nothing to forgive

Tension flaired in El Clasico on Sunday. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The squad had been waiting for this Clasico, eager to make a statement after suffering four painful defeats to Barcelona last season. 

Yamal’s comments gave them one more reason to treat the encounter as personal, as the players didn’t forgive the Barcelona forward for calling the club thieves.

From the moment the teams stepped onto the pitch, it was evident that Yamal had become enemy number one for both the players and the Bernabeu crowd. 

Every touch he made was met with whistles and hostility. The home supporters and players saw his comments as a breach of professional respect, something they were determined to confront.

By the time the final whistle blew, the tension spilled over. Dani Carvajal, Vinicius Jr., and others confronted Yamal, reminding him of his earlier remarks. 

In such a short time, Yamal has managed to make himself the most targeted player in the eyes of Real Madrid. 

His words may have been said in jest, but in Madrid, they became a rallying cry, a declaration of war that no one at the club was willing to ignore.