Lamine responds to Real Madrid: “If they haven’t won for two years, that’s their problem”

Lamine Yamal was supposed to be discussing Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord. One question about Real Madrid and refereeing was enough to take the press conference in a different direction.

Asked whether he expected another noisy season because Madrid had already raised concerns about officials, Lamine replied: “If they haven’t won for two years, that’s their problem. We are happy with the refereeing. I don’t know, they look happy to me.”

TROPHIES DO NOT SETTLE A REFEREEING DEBATE

The first part was a clear shot at Real Madrid’s recent results. It was sharp, but it did not address the substance of the question. A club’s trophy record does not determine whether a particular refereeing complaint is justified. Losing does not remove the right to demand consistent decisions.

The second part of Lamine’s answer was even more revealing. Barcelona being pleased with the refereeing is hardly surprising after their 5-0 victory at Valencia. Following that match, Archivo VAR reviewed a new angle of Rodri’s challenge on Arnaut Danjuma and argued that Valencia should have received a penalty and the Barcelona midfielder should have been sent off. Neither the referee nor VAR intervened.

That assessment is not an official ruling, and Barcelona were clearly the better team at Mestalla. It does, however, make the timing of Lamine’s satisfaction rather awkward.

BARCELONA ARE HAPPY, SO APPARENTLY THERE IS NO PROBLEM

The response fits a comfortable Barcelona narrative. When a controversial decision goes their way, the score becomes the defence and the discussion is treated as unnecessary noise. Madrid can present footage and demand explanations; Barcelona can simply announce that everything looks fine from their side.

Lamine succeeded in producing the headline of the press conference, but he did not answer Madrid’s actual concern. Real are not asking whether Barcelona enjoy the current refereeing. They are questioning why comparable incidents can receive different treatment. A joke about two trophyless seasons does not resolve that issue.