Teenage winger Lamine Yamal is entering Sunday’s La Liga showdown against Real Madrid with added motivation, according to Barcelona’s assistant coach Marcus Sorg. Sorg insists the wider criticisms levelled at the 18-year-old will drive him to perform. (RTL Today). Yamal has come under the spotlight in recent days after comments he made on a live stream about Real Madrid’s behaviour — including the remark:
“They steal, they complain…” when referring to Madrid. (ESPN.com)
Sorg emphasised:
“Lamine is a top player and I think (the criticism) will be motivating for him… I hope we all see him tomorrow (give) the best performance.” (Channels Television)
He added that while head coach Hansi Flick is suspended for the fixture, the team remains focused and expects Yamal to step up. (Live Soccer TV)
Why this matters
Yamal’s standing as one of Barcelona’s brightest young stars means his conduct and performance draw intense media and fan scrutiny.
In high-stakes games such as El Clásico, the psychological element often plays a critical role — how a player adapts to external pressure can affect both individual output and team dynamics.
For our readers: the comments and pre-match atmosphere around Yamal are more than noise — they form part of the narrative ahead of one of football’s biggest fixtures.
