Real Madrid 2-1 Barca: De Jong defends Yamal, accuses Carvajal
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 to extend the gap to 5 points, but the focus after El Clasico was De Jong accusing Carvajal of provoking Yamal amid a hostile atmosphere at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid won 2-1 against Barcelona, ending a run of four consecutive defeats to their arch-rivals and opening up a five-point gap at the top of La Liga. But after the final whistle, the focus turned to an off-field confrontation: Dani Carvajal approached Lamine Yamal and made a controversial hand gesture, which led to Frenkie de Jong publicly defending his young teammate.
El Clasico developments and emotional knots
The atmosphere was hostile from the start, with Yamal booed by the Bernabeu crowd every time he was introduced or touched the ball. On the pitch, Real Madrid sealed the game with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, sandwiched between Fermin Lopez’s equaliser for Barcelona. The game was also shrouded in controversy: the home side had a penalty ruled out, three goals ruled out for offside; a penalty was awarded for Eric Garcia’s handball, but Mbappe’s shot was not converted.
The climax broke out after the match, when Carvajal approached Yamal surrounded by cameras and fans. De Jong immediately criticized the behavior of the Real Madrid right-back.
Key moments
- Real Madrid won 2-1, ending a four-match losing streak to Barcelona and moving five points clear at the top.
- Three Madrid goals were disallowed for offside; a penalty was cancelled.
- Real Madrid were awarded a penalty after Eric Garcia's handball, but Mbappe's shot was blocked.
- Carvajal made a hand gesture with Yamal after the match, sparking controversy on the sidelines.
Tactical analysis: Yamal's flank is disabled
Barcelona relied on Yamal to create chances down the right flank, but left-back Alvaro Carreras was disciplined, largely nullifying the 16-year-old’s exploits. With the right flank stifled, Barca lacked the horizontal launchpad to stretch Madrid’s defensive structure, leaving attacks linear and reliant on individual effort.
The psychological factor cannot be ignored either. The hostile atmosphere and the constant booing directed at Yamal undermined his confidence, which was his weapon. In that context, Real won not only by the score but also by the spirit: they kept the tempo, forced their opponents to play with inhibitions, and pushed all emotional conflicts into the spotlight.
The mental battle and the role of Carvajal
At the end of the match, Carvajal took the initiative to approach Yamal – a symbolic gesture of psychological confrontation. At the international level, the two are teammates, but at the Bernabeu, that collision became a catalyst for controversy and added pressure to the young Barcelona player.
Important statistics
| Index | Detail |
|---|---|
| Score | Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona |
| Goal scorer | Real Madrid: Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham; Barcelona: Fermin Lopez |
| Goal disallowed for offside | Real Madrid 3 |
| Penalty | One Real Madrid penalty was ruled out; one was blown after Eric Garcia handled it; Mbappe's penalty missed. |
| Distance on the rankings | Real Madrid are 5 points ahead |
| Confrontation series | Real Madrid end four consecutive defeats against Barcelona |
Post-match reactions
Frenkie de Jong strongly criticized Carvajal's behavior: "If Carvajal wanted to talk to Lamine, he could have done it in private. They are teammates in the Spanish national team, they know each other well. So why did he have to cause trouble in the middle of the pitch in front of thousands of people?"
He also believes that the media has exaggerated Yamal's previous statements: "Lamine did not say that Real stole the victory, at least not directly. He was just participating in an entertainment program, everyone was talking and laughing. I understand the reaction of the Real players, but they overreacted."
From the technical area, assistant coach Marcus Sorg – who took over temporarily while Hansi Flick was suspended – admitted that the pressure of the away game affected the young player: “Maybe he was affected a little bit. Normally Yamal is very confident, but today was not easy. He has just returned from a groin injury and needs more time to get back into rhythm.”
Impact on La Liga race
The win helped Real Madrid consolidate their lead at the top of the table and increase their lead to five points – a significant advantage both psychologically and in terms of points. The end of a four-game losing streak against Barcelona also had a symbolic meaning: the head-to-head order temporarily tilted in Los Blancos’ favour, while Barcelona needed a solution to the problem of creating space on the right flank when Yamal was blocked.
In the long-running race of La Liga, this El Clasico shows that Real Madrid not only know how to win in controversial matches, but also manage emotions better in heated moments - details that can shape the whole season.