• Sources confirm the federation believes the incident won’t affect the national team’s dynamics

As echoes of the recent El Clásico continue to reverberate, the fiery aftermath of the Real Madrid–Barcelona clash has spilled beyond the pitch, reaching the offices of the Spanish Football Federation — now facing an awkward situation just months before the 2026 World Cup

The controversy wasn’t tactical but verbal — a war of words that began before the match and continued well after the final whistle, starring Real Madrid’s veteran captain Dani Carvajal and Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal

Pre-match sparks

The story began 24 hours before the showdown, when Lamine Yamal made comments the Madrid press called “provocative,” hinting cleverly at what he saw as “refereeing bias” that has historically favoured Real Madrid in El Clásico fixtures

According to Madrid Universal, those remarks caused uproar in the Real Madrid dressing room. Players — especially team leaders — felt that Yamal hadn’t just stirred up tension but crossed the line by questioning the integrity of their competition

Carvajal: “He talks too much”

Real Madrid players didn’t forget those words. After Los Blancos sealed their win, captain Dani Carvajal confronted Yamal directly after the final whistle, delivering a sharp on-camera message

Reports suggest Carvajal told him plainly: “He talks too much.” A clear reminder that answers should be given on the pitch — and that the young forward should respect his rivals’ legacy before making accusations

That brief exchange — between Real’s 33-year-old leader and Barça’s 18-year-old prodigy — perfectly encapsulated both a clash of generations and the intensity surrounding El Clásico

The Spanish FA chooses “World Cup peace”

It was expected that this public confrontation would raise concerns within the Spanish Football Federation, especially as both players are key pillars of the national team heading to the World Cup. Carvajal is La Roja’s main right-back and defensive leader, while Yamal is their attacking star and the brightest hope of the new generation

Any tension between the two could poison the team’s dressing room — something Spain has experienced before during the height of Real–Barça rivalries, such as the Ramos–Piqué era

However, in a move reflecting pragmatic restraint, the federation has decided not to intervene in the dispute

Sources confirmed that the federation considers the incident “unlikely to affect the national team’s dynamics

Officials are confident that professionalism will outweigh club-driven emotions when representing Spain

De la Fuente’s confidence

National team coach Luis de la Fuente fully supports this stance. In a tricky position — needing both players at peak form — he expressed complete trust in their maturity, noting: Both players are professionals and have worked well together in past international camps

De la Fuente, who has successfully fostered a family-like environment within the squad, expects that “these differences won’t go beyond the pitch.” In other words, he’s calling on his players to leave their club colours at the door and wear Spain’s shirt with one mindset

For the federation, addressing the issue publicly — through sanctions, mediation, or official meetings — could unnecessarily amplify the matter

Hence, an unspoken truce has been set in motion, with hopes that time and the approaching World Cup will cool tempers between the seasoned captain and the rising star

The silent tension between Carvajal and Yamal will remain under close watch in Spain’s next training camp, as fans and officials alike observe how the two handle themselves — not as rivals, but as teammates united in pursuit of football’s greatest prize across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada