It’s not easy to manage - Dani Carvajal defends Lamine Yamal

Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has leapt to the defence of Lamine Yamal, urging critics to show more understanding of the immense pressure the Barcelona teenager is under.

The 18-year-old forward has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the past 15 months. After a breakout season at Barça, Yamal played a starring role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, before delivering a near-historic campaign for the Catalan giants, scoring 18 goals and providing 25 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions.

His contributions powered Barcelona to the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de España titles.

Such performances have catapulted Yamal into the Ballon d’Or conversation, where he is considered among the favourites alongside former Barça winger Ousmane Dembélé.

Speaking on Cadena SER’s El Larguero show, Carvajal defended his Clasico rival and international teammate.

He said, "People have to understand that it's complicated. He's an 18-year-old kid who's already a key player at a club like FC Barcelona, which is one of the best in the world. He's making a difference, he's signed an important contract, his impact has increased dramatically, and well, in the end, it's not easy to manage.

"He'll make mistakes, as we all have. But, in the end, if you perform on the pitch, give it your all, and then have the quality he has, which is undeniable, then in the end he can become a player who can mark an era.

"He could be among the candidates for the Ballon d'Or, especially because of his youth," the veteran defender said. "In the end, let's not forget that he's 18, and that I was at Castilla when I was 18, so it's very difficult to make a difference at that age in professional football. Since I'm not going to vote, I'm not going to give it to anyone because I'm not the captain, so I'm off the hook."