"When someone insults you, maybe they were raised that way"- Barcelona's Lamine Yamal on racist abuse he received in Real Madrid clash

Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has addressed the racist abuse he received from Real Madrid fans during their LaLiga clash in October 2024. The 17-year-old forward added that such incidents reflect poorly on the abusers and players should ignore them.

Yamal, Raphinha, and Ansu Fati were subjected to racist abuse during Barca's 4-0 LaLiga win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in October.

In an interview with DAZN, Yamal was asked about the reported incident and how it impacted him. He said (via GOAL):

"I think if we had lost, maybe I would have thought, 'Why are they saying this or that to me?' But in the end, it's about enjoying life."

He added:

"When someone insults you, maybe they were raised that way or didn't receive the right values. Therefore, I think you should ignore it and move on."

The Spaniard expressed that Barcelona's win in the above-mentioned clash didn't give him time to dwell on the incident. During the game, the Spaniard was outstanding and scored Barca's third goal of the night.

Since the start of the campaign, Yamal has been pivotal on the right flank for La Blaugrana. In 37 games, he has registered 29 goal contributions this season (12 goals and 17 assists).

"He leads the race for the Ballon d'Or" - Thierry Henry on Barcelona winger Raphinha

Real Madrid C.F. v Manchester City - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg - Source: Getty

Former Barca forward Thierry Henry believes that Raphinha is a leading contender for the next Ballon d’Or. He lauded the former Leeds United winger for his all-round qualities on the field of play.

Speaking after Barca's 4-1 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 aggregate victory against Benfica, Henry lauded Raphinha. He said (via Barca Universal):

"Raphinha leads the race for the Ballon d'Or. He's been in amazing form, scoring a lot of goals. A complete player is someone who presses, defends, helps in defence... Raphinha has all of these qualities."

Raphinha has undoubtedly been the Camp Nou outfit's most in-form player. He has scored 27 goals and provided 19 assists in 41 games this season. Barcelona's triumph in LaLiga and UCL would be pivotal for Raphinha in the Ballon d’Or race.