Football fans waiting for a juicy post-match exchange between Marc Cucurella and Lamine Yamal will have to wait a little longer. The Spanish defender has made it clear that there was no conversation at all between him and the Barcelona youngster after the latest El Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
NotJustOk, which describes Cucurella as a Chelsea defender, initially framed the story as the player revealing details of a conversation with Yamal. The defender's own words, however, tell a different story: according to the outlet, he clarified that the two did not talk once the match was over.
What Cucurella said on COPE
Cucurella was speaking on the Spanish radio station COPE when he was asked whether he and Yamal had traded words after the final whistle. His reply was short and blunt:
"No, we didn't speak. I have nothing to say. We won, and I played a good game. That's it."
According to NotJustOk, the Spain international also explained that he would rather let his football speak for him than get drawn into a public back-and-forth. The outlet reported that he said he does not like to boast and prefers to stay quiet and focus on doing his job on the pitch.
The Yamal warning that set it up
The comments carry extra weight because of what came before. NotJustOk reported that Yamal had earlier warned Cucurella, in a joking manner, that he would come out on top whenever the two met in El Clásico.
In this latest meeting, the outlet said, it was Cucurella who had the last laugh, with Real Madrid beating Barcelona 2-1. His "We won" remark on COPE fits that account, although the report, which also calls him a Chelsea defender, does not spell out his club situation or the details of his role in the match.
Why people are paying attention
Any word linking Yamal to a rival player tends to travel fast. The Barcelona teenager is one of the most talked-about young players in world football, and the Barcelona versus Real Madrid rivalry remains one of the biggest fixtures on the calendar, closely followed by many Nigerian football lovers.
There is also a personal angle. Cucurella came through the Barcelona academy, so he knows the club and its football culture well, which makes any clash with one of its brightest stars more interesting to watch.
For now, Cucurella appears content to leave the talking to others. In his words, the result and his own performance are all he needs to point to. As the saying goes, action speaks louder than voice. Yamal has not been reported to have responded to the defender's remarks.
