Barcelona’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid continues to generate strong reactions, but few have been as harsh as the comments made by former Blaugrana forward Christophe Dugarry.
The Frenchman has openly questioned the impact and mentality of Lamine Yamal, delivering a scathing assessment after the defeat.
Yamal, widely regarded as one of the brightest young talents in world football, has been a key figure in Barcelona’s attacking setup this season.
What did Dugarry say?
As such, Dugarry believes the teenager failed to deliver when it mattered most, particularly in a high-stakes European tie.
Speaking on RMC (h/t SPORT), the former Barcelona player criticised not just Yamal’s performance, but also his attitude, suggesting that the youngster has been too vocal without backing it up consistently on the pitch.
“If you’re going to talk a lot, make sure your team is capable of winning. What world do you live in, lad? In the real world, you do nothing,” he began saying.
Dugarry has heavily criticised Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The criticism did not stop there, as Dugarry went on to dissect Yamal’s display in the match, acknowledging his early contribution but questioning his overall influence across the full 90 minutes.
“He scored in the 4th minute. And then? He proved he’s not in the running for the Ballon d’Or.
“Dembele would surely have scored a few more goals. Little Lamine had his moment of glory and nothing more.
“Obviously, he’s got talent, but he’s far from being one of the best in the world.”
Lastly, while doubling down on his stance, the former France international, who played a mere 13 games for Barcelona in his only season, questioned both the player’s influence and mentality, stating,
“I’m not at all convinced that Barça deserved to go through against Atletico, given Lamine Yamal’s performance. He has an inflated ego,” he concluded.
