Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has admitted taunts from Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal have only added to the excitement of El Clásico.
Ahead of a match which rarely needs any additional buildup, Yamal sparked a wave of controversy by accusing Madrid of “stealing and complaining” in regards to refereeing, before chiming in with one final dig as he reminded fans of Barcelona’s 4–0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu last season.
The teenage winger’s comments have, unsurprisingly, left the Madrid squad thoroughly unimpressed, adding an extra layer of intrigue to Sunday’s meeting between the two sides.
“It’s a big enough match, it has a lot of ingredients, and that’s what excites us most for tomorrow,” a diplomatic Alonso responded when asked for his verdict on Yamal’s words.
Pushed further, the Real Madrid manager said: “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.”
After previewing the match for the remainder of the press conference, Alonso was asked about Yamal’s comments one final time.
This time, the focus was on the impact of his words on the Spanish national team, amid widespread reports that Madrid defender Dani Carvajal plans to confront Yamal about his behavior.
“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.”
Madrid head into Sunday’s game with the advantage in the La Liga standings. Alonso’s side sit two points clear at the top of the table and will hope to extend that lead to five with a big win at the Bernabéu.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Xabi Alonso Responds to Lamine Yamal’s El Clasico Barbs.