Lamine Yamal came close to putting his participation in the Clasico against Real Madrid in jeopardy, after getting involved in a heated altercation with Facundo Bernal during Barcelona's 5-2 win over Real Betis. The young star lost his temper, Hansi Flick stepped in to substitute him, and Raphinha urged him to leave the pitch quickly before the situation escalated.
Tension peaked after Abde Ezzalzouli's goal cut the deficit to 3-2. Lamine went over to Fermin Lopez to check on him after he had gone down following an earlier clash, before Valles intervened to help the Barcelona player back to his feet.
At that moment, Lamine pushed Valles aside. Facundo Bernal then appeared and shoved the young player, who responded with an even stronger shove of his own amid a charged atmosphere on the pitch.
Two shoves that nearly cost Lamine Yamal dearly
Bernal answered with two headbutts towards Lamine, and the confrontation threatened to spill beyond a verbal argument and physical clash.
Lamine had already been booked, which meant his continued agitation carried an additional risk with the Real Madrid encounter approaching, a fixture that represents an important milestone for Barcelona in La Liga.
Had Bernal gone down after Lamine's shove, nobody could say what would have followed. The incident put the young player in a delicate position, given the importance of the Clasico and the possibility of a disciplinary punishment had the clash developed differently.
Flick and Raphinha
Hansi Flick saw that Lamine needed to be out of that tense atmosphere, so he decided to substitute him. It was the third time he has taken such a decision this season, having previously rested him against Elche and Levante.
On the touchline, Raphinha urged his team-mate to hurry off the pitch. Flick held him moments later and whispered in his ear, a scene that looked like an attempt to calm him down and explain the reasons for his substitution.
Timing mattered. Barcelona did not need to lose one of their most prominent players because of a momentary loss of temper, ahead of the eagerly awaited meeting with Real Madrid.
A talent not without temperament
Despite the incident, Lamine Yamal delivered a striking performance against Betis, showing distinctive technical flashes, among them his opening goal which drew admiration, alongside his attacking contribution and his assist for Gabriel Jesus' goal.
His usual composure does not always stop him from losing his temper, though, especially when he feels provoked. Look at what happened at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium around a month ago, when some supporters criticised him for what they considered exaggerated falling, as well as the reactions at La Cartuja towards his goal celebration.
Exceptional talent and the ability to make the difference are already there. Keeping his cool in charged moments remains an important part of his development, particularly given the scale of the pressure surrounding him and the importance of the matches Barcelona play.