Controversy: Lamine Yamal Caught Making Provocative Gesture Toward Real Madrid
The FC Barcelona winger mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic celebration during El Clásico
The El Clásico between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc, was one of the most intense and thrilling matches in recent memory. The game was filled with surprises and standout moments, but the celebrations of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha stole the spotlight on social media, sparking controversy and widespread reactions. Barcelona emerged victorious with a dramatic 4–3 win at home.
The match began in favor of Real Madrid, who found themselves ahead early within the first 15 minutes. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot and soon doubled the lead following a controversial play. During that action, a challenge between Lamine Yamal and Fede Valverde allowed the Uruguayan to recover the ball, pass it to Vinícius, who then assisted Mbappé for the 2–0 goal.
LAMINE YAMAL’S CONTROVERSIAL CELEBRATION
However, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side didn’t back down and mounted a powerful comeback, overturning the score before halftime to go into the break 4–2 ahead. Eric García started the comeback with a goal, followed by a stunner from Lamine Yamal, and a brace from Raphinha, completing an impressive turnaround in the first half.
Lamine Yamal’s goal was not only notable for its quality but also for the celebration that followed — he mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic “calma” celebration, seen as a direct provocation toward Real Madrid fans. The gesture drew heavy criticism and instantly went viral.
Meanwhile, Raphinha added further fuel to the fire with his celebrations. After scoring in the 34th and 45th minutes, the Brazilian pointed deliberately at his wrist tape in front of the cameras — a gesture many interpreted as a response to recent allegations from the Madrid camp, suggesting he might be involved in irregular practices related to wrist taping or even doping accusations.
