🙏 Ibai Llanos apologises for Lamine Yamal row, admits fault | OneFootball

The popular streamer and entrepreneur Ibai Llanos has caused a media stir by taking partial responsibility for the controversy surrounding young FC Barcelona player Lamine Yamal during the recent Clásico against Real Madrid. Through a video, Llanos explained the backstory of a comment that, born in the playful context of the Kings League, ended up igniting tempers on the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu, even resulting in a scuffle that required police intervention.

The origin of the controversy dates back to a live stream of the Kings League, the 7-a-side football competition co-founded by Gerard Piqué. Ibai Llanos, owner of the team Porcinos FC, had invited Yamal for a friendly "face-to-face," the main idea being to talk about the tournament and engage in some playful banter, with no intention of bringing up sensitive topics about Real Madrid or FC Barcelona. According to Llanos, it was he who suggested moving the Kings League match forward to ensure the participation of the young Barça star and make the show more entertaining—a decision that, in hindsight, he considers the start of the problem.

The key moment came when Lamine Yamal, in a relaxed comment, compared Ibai’s team to Real Madrid, dropping the now-viral phrase that "Porcinos steals just like Madrid." What started as a joke among friends and online competition colleagues quickly escalated into international news. The comment, ironic and humorous in tone, reached the dressing room of the Madrid side, who, judging by the reaction of their players during and after the Clásico, did not take it lightly.

Ibai Llanos has expressed his regret, assuring that his only intention was "to have a good time for a while" and that he never imagined a joke would lead to such a serious confrontation. "What seemed like nonsense has turned into the police intervening at El Clásico. Last time I have an idea," the streamer concluded. The atmosphere was tense at the Bernabéu, where Yamal was met with boos and ended up involved in an altercation with Real Madrid players such as Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior at the end of the match.

In this way, the content creator accepts his share of responsibility for having set the stage where the controversial statement was made, although he emphasizes that the phrase was entirely the player’s decision. The incident highlights the growing influence of digital platforms and streamers in traditional sports, showing how a simple comment on a broadcast can transcend the gaming world to directly impact the tension of a sporting event as significant as El Clásico.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.