Lamine Yamal addresses Ballon d'Or candidacy and Real Madrid refereeing complaints

Lamine Yamal addressed the media ahead of Barcelona’s opening Champions League match against Feyenoord scheduled for Wednesday. During the press conference, the teenager responded to recent comments from Real Madrid regarding refereeing standards following their loss to Real Betis. He stated that the club is satisfied with the officiating and dismissed the complaints raised by their rivals. When asked about his candidacy for the Ballon d'Or, Lamine Yamal emphasized that he will not campaign for votes or beg for recognition. He expressed confidence in his performance with Barcelona and the Spain national team, noting that the decision rests with journalists. Additionally, he briefly commented on Ousmane Dembélé favoring Kylian Mbappé in comparisons, noting that he maintains a positive relationship with his former teammate. The focus for Barcelona remains on the upcoming European fixture.

• 2:00 PMYahoo Sports — ‘Ask them’ – Lamine Yamal responds to Real Madrid complaints and says he ‘won’t beg’ for Ballon d’Or