Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde has defended teammate Lamine Yamal over the scrutiny he has faced in recent weeks. The 18-year-old has not been at his best since September, when he succumbed to an injury in his pubic area while playing for Spain. Ever since his return, he has struggled to match his previously dizzying heights, with the glare of the spotlight shining on the youngster.
Yamal and Balde shine as Barca outwit Elche
After going down to Real Madrid on October 26, where Yamal was off colour and the centre of controversy at the end of the game for his pre-match comments about Los Blancos, Barca returned to winning ways against Elche this Sunday.
Before the clash with Los Blancos, he said, while streaming: “Yes, of course, they steal, they complain…”, prompting laughter and disbelief from those on the stream. Llanos, a well-known Madrid supporter, immediately pushed back, asking, “Real Madrid steals?” To which Yamal doubled down, laughing nervously before reaffirming, “Well, let’s see, let’s see.”
Notably, it was Balde who helped Yamal open Barca's scoring for the evening in the ninth minute, as the 18-year-old enjoyed a topsy-turvy 88 minutes on the pitch. The Spaniard enjoyed a fine first half but was eventually substituted, and replaced by Roony Bardghji.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportBalde stands by Yamal
After the match, Balde defended his Barca teammate for the criticism he has faced in the past weeks. He said, "It’s true that he’s always in the spotlight, but I think Lamine is a great professional despite his young age. What he is doing at only 18 years old is incredible. Sometimes people don’t appreciate what he does, as they should. At his age, what he’s doing can’t be described in words."
Balde's words can be justified as Yamal won the Euros last season when he was just 16. This year, before he turned 18, he played a crucial role in taking Spain to the UEFA Nations League final, where they ended runners-up to Portugal.
What happened after the Clasico?
Barca lost 2-1 to Madrid in their last fixture in October, and Yamal played the entire game. However, after the clash was over, he got involved in a heated exchange with Madrid players. He had a verbal argument with Dani Carvajal and offered him a challenge for the second leg. Moreover, he was also seen in chaos with Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr.
Off the pitch, Yamal took the limelight too. Although this time, he refrained from making comments on the Clasico rivals, like he did days before the match, he was trending on social media for his separation from his partner.
Yamal's injury is yet to be cured, and he is still recovering from it, despite featuring in the matches. Flick pointed out the same after the Elche game, stating that he needs to manage his injury while rediscovering his best form. He said, "He has to manage his injury; he's disciplined. He has to train, undergo treatment… he's doing it. I can't say the injury is over; it comes and goes. And he has to manage it."
Getty Images SportBarca's upcoming ventures
Yamal and co. will be travelling to Belgium to face Club Brugge in their upcoming Champions League clash. Positioned ninth in the continental table, Flick, would want his side to register a strong result against 20th-ranked Brugge. A third win for Barca will not only elevate their status in the table, but also provide a boost ahead of their upcoming fixtures. Barca's last outing before the international break is against Celta Vigo, which is yet again an away match. They currently have a five-point gap with La Liga toppers Madrid and would want to minimise the same in the coming games by not dropping points, despite a hectic schedule post the break, which sees them play games in quick succession.