FC Barcelona got an important victory against Deportivo Alaves last night, one which was highly needed by the team because of the difficult period it is going through right now.
The Catalans have faced significant criticism in the last few days, after their poor showings in the matches against Real Sociedad and Shakhtar Donetsk.
The victory against Alaves will definitely boost the morale of the team, and will also ensure the team does not fall too far away from the league leaders, Girona. However, this latest victory was also not without its own controversies.
Tension between Lewandowski and Yamal
As already reported here, there was visible tension between the youngster Lamine Yamal and the striker Robert Lewandowski during the last match against Alaves. Fans were not too amused when Lewandowski chided the youngster for taking a shot that was saved by the Alaves goalkeeper.
Things looked particularly serious when Yamal approached Lewandowski to offer him a handshake, but whose advances were ignored by the Polish striker.
Tension was resolved on the pitch
However, images gathered and published by the Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo show that the matter between the two Barcelona players was resolved in the same match, moments after Lewandowski scored the second goal for Barcelona.
The pictures show Lewandowski celebrating the goal with all his teammates, including Lamine Yamal, and also undertaking a lengthy conversation with the youngster afterwards. The two can be seen walking to the kick-off spot, engaged in a relaxed and friendly conversation, without any of the former tension or unfriendliness.
It was important for Lewandowski to talk things out with Yamal after the first incident when he refused his handshake. Lewandowski is one of the most experienced players in the squad and is one of the leaders of the team, and Yamal is only 16 years old, an age when individuals are particularly sensitive about other’s opinions about themselves.
Thus, a censure from a team leader could have devastated Yamal’s confidence, and have had long-term implications for him. But hopefully, everything is resolved between the two, and they both can work together to help Barcelona navigate through the difficult months ahead.
