Barcelona have enjoyed El Clasico this season, but the first meeting – which saw a 4-0 victory for Hansi Flick’s side – was overshadowed by racist abuse aimed at several of the Blaugrana’s players, one of which was Lamine Yamal.
Racism in Spanish football has become a major problem over the last few years, and the 17-year-old is one of the players that has been affected. Earlier this week, he reflected on the incident during a poignant interview with DAZN, during which he stated that he has tried not to pay too much attention to the incident at the Santiago Bernabeu, as per MD.
“I think that if we had lost, maybe I would have thought: ‘Why do they tell me this or that?’ But in the end, it’s about enjoying life. When someone insults you, maybe they were raised that way or didn’t receive the right values. That’s why I think you shouldn’t pay attention to it and move on.”
Lamine Yamal, who was decisive for Barcelona in their 3-1 victory over Benfica in the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday, reflected on his own childhood during the interview, and he spoke with pride about how he was raised.
“I always tell my mother that I am very grateful to her because, despite how difficult things were for her, she made sure that I did not see anything wrong. So maybe I didn’t have the best childhood in the world, but she made it seem like I did, so I could only see the good and enjoy it.”
It is clear that these rising cases of racist abuse in Spanish football must be addressed by the relevant authorities. Right now, it has become a serious problem, and more needs to be done to stop players like Lamine Yamal being targeted.
