Reason behind Lamine Yamal anger against Atletico Madrid revealed

Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid on Saturday night put the Catalans seven points clear at the top of La Liga, yet the final whistle brought more questions than celebrations for teenage winger Lamine Yamal. Television cameras captured the 16-year-old brushing off head coach Hansi Flick’s consoling arm and trudging down the tunnel with a scowl, apparently pointing toward goalkeeping coach José Ramón de la Fuente as he disappeared from view.

While early speculation centred on the racial abuse Yamal had reportedly endured during the match, sources close to the club have since clarified that his ire was directed at de la Fuente. According to a report first carried by Mundo Deportivo, the veteran coach twice barked at Yamal to speed up play in the closing stages: once after the winger lost possession and again after he blazed a shot over the bar. DAZN footage shows Yamal turning toward the technical area and mouthing “What do you want me to do?” on both occasions.

De la Fuente, 54, has been part of the Barcelona furniture since 2012, when he arrived under Tito Vilanova. A La Masia graduate and former goalkeeper, he previously worked at Hércules, Racing Santander and Gimnàstic de Tarragona. His close relationship with captain Marc-André ter Stegen had fuelled speculation last summer that he could follow the German out of the club, but Flick has repeatedly praised the coach’s role in his own adaptation to the club.

Asked about Yamal’s visible frustration, Flick told reporters: “I don’t know exactly what happened. There was a lot of emotion. Lamine tried everything to score the goal, not everything was perfect, but he was always trying, always available. We have three days to prepare the next match, and he will be in a better mood than today.”

The incident cast a rare shadow over a night that otherwise strengthened Barcelona’s grip on the Spanish title race, leaving the coaching staff with the task of smoothing tensions before the squad returns to training.