Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal will be motivated by criticism before El Clasico, says assistant coach Marcus Sorg ahead of Real Madrid clash

Barcelona assistant coach Marcus Sorg has said that Lamine Yamal will use recent criticism as motivation ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico clash with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Also read: Lamine Yamal Boosts Barcelona Ahead of El Clasico

The teenage sensation has come under scrutiny in the Spanish capital after making light-hearted comments during a social media stream, joking that Real Madrid “steal” and “complain.”

Speaking at a pre-match news conference on Saturday, Sorg said he expects Yamal to rise to the occasion despite the noise surrounding him.

“Lamine is a top player and I think the criticism will be motivating for him,” Sorg said. “I hope we all see him tomorrow give his best performance.”

The 18-year-old Spain international is expected to start on the right flank against Madrid left-back Álvaro Carreras, a familiar opponent from Yamal’s days facing Benfica in the Champions League.

“Lamine is always motivated and if I remember right, we won all three games against Benfica,” Sorg added with a smile.

Barcelona are chasing a fifth consecutive victory over their archrivals in all competitions and hope to close the gap at the top of La Liga.

Head coach Hansi Flick will not be on the touchline for the encounter after receiving a red card in last weekend’s 3–1 win over Girona, leaving Sorg to lead the team.

“Honestly, Hansi is always missed when he’s not there because he’s the most important part of the team,” Sorg admitted. “It’s a disadvantage of course, but we have to deal with it. Everyone knows what he expects, and I think we will do it.”

Barcelona will be without Raphinha, who has suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury.

“Every team would miss Raphinha, but it is what it is. We have enough players and have to deal with it,” said Sorg.

He confirmed that Jules Koundé had trained on Saturday after a minor knock and could feature, along with Ferran Torres.

The Catalan club remain without several key players through injury, including Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, and Gavi, but Sorg insisted that the team’s focus and spirit remain strong ahead of the highly anticipated showdown.

Also read: Lamine Yamal misses Champions League tie at Newcastle

“We know what this game means to our fans and the club,” Sorg said. “We are ready to fight for the win.”