Barcelona star Lamine Yamal will use recent criticism as motivation ahead of El Clásico, according to the club’s assistant coach, Marcus Sorg.
The teenage winger found himself in the spotlight after joking during a social media stream that Real Madrid “steal” and “complain.”
Spanish champions Barcelona will face Real Madrid on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga, aiming for their fifth straight win over their rivals.
“Lamine is a top player, and I believe the criticism will only motivate him,” Sorg said during Saturday’s press conference. “I hope we all see him deliver his best performance tomorrow.”
The 18-year-old Spain international is expected to come up against Madrid left-back Álvaro Carreras — a familiar opponent from last season when Barcelona faced Benfica three times in the Champions League.
“Lamine is always motivated, and if I remember correctly, we won all three games against Benfica,” added Sorg.
With head coach Hansi Flick suspended after receiving a red card in last weekend’s win over Girona, Sorg will take charge on the touchline.
“Of course, Hansi’s absence is a disadvantage — he’s a vital part of the team,” Sorg said. “But like when players are missing, we have to adapt. Everyone knows what he expects, and I’m confident we’ll deliver.”
Barcelona will also be without winger Raphinha, who has suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.
“Any team would miss Raphinha, but it is what it is — we have enough players to cope,” Sorg noted.
Meanwhile, defender Jules Kounde trained on Saturday after a knock and could feature, alongside Ferran Torres.
The Catalans still have several players sidelined, including Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, and Gavi.
