The disagreement between Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, which became a trending topic after the FC Barcelona-Alavés match on Sunday, was just a coincidence, according to the Polish player.
Robert Lewandowski answered questions from reporters at a press conference following his arrival at the Polish national team training camp. Poland will face the Czech Republic and Latvia in this international window, as part of their fight to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“The situation is just a coincidence,” Lewandowski said. “It’s a normal situation on the pitch between two players who are shouting at each other. There is no bad blood or ill intent between me and Lamine. Everything is fine and there is nothing hidden in this situation. There is really nothing to comment on in all of this.”
Lewandowski also said that there were images of him and Yamal sharing warm-up exercises and smiling, and that they also chatted after Lewandowski’s penalty goal (2-1) in a completely normal way.
“I know I am a role model for young players,” he said. “I want to show them that it’s normal to argue on the pitch, but that you always have to respect each other.”
Background
The incident in question occurred in the 76th minute of the FC Barcelona-Alavés match on Sunday, November 12, 2023. Lewandowski was attempting to take a free kick when Yamal, a young defender for Alavés, stood in his way. Lewandowski shouted at Yamal to move, and the two players exchanged words. The referee eventually intervened and showed Yamal a yellow card.
The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media. Some fans accused Lewandowski of being disrespectful to Yamal, while others defended the Polish striker’s actions.
Lewandowski’s response
In his press conference on Monday, Lewandowski said that he regretted the incident and that he did not mean to disrespect Yamal. He said that the two players had spoken after the match and that there was no bad blood between them.
“I understand that my reaction could have been misinterpreted,” Lewandowski said. “I am a passionate player and I sometimes get caught up in the moment. I want to apologize to Lamine and to anyone else who was offended by my actions.”
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