Spain's national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, has a message for rising star Lamine Yamal: get used to the physicality.
The 17-year-old Barcelona sensation faced a tough time in Spain's 1-0 UEFA Nations League victory over Denmark, where he was repeatedly targeted by aggressive tackles.
Lamine Yamal
Yamal, limping after the match, clearly felt the impact, but De la Fuente didn’t sugarcoat it. “You have to apply the toughness that the rules allow,” the coach said at a press conference.
“There is a referee there to mark the limit. Against young players with his talent, [opponents] try to intimidate and look for contact.”
De la Fuente
“The referee has to protect these talented players, but Lamine has to get used to it. I would love it to be a bed of roses, Flower Power, but this sport is like that.”
“Lamine displayed an exceptional attitude and generated a lot for us from the right flank. He has a special talent. From there, I had a teammate who used to say: ‘What do you want, kisses [from the opponents]?’ Teams use the weapons they can within the rules.”