An Espanyol star issues a fiery threat to Lamine Yamal ahead of the explosive Catalan derby as tensions reach dangerous heights.
Tensions escalate ahead of Saturday’s high-stakes Catalan derby at RCDE Stadium, where Espanyol’s resurgence collides with Barcelona’s table-topping form, amplified by provocative pre-match banter threatening to boil over.
Classified ‘high-risk’ with goal nets shielding Joan Garcia and fines up to €650k for disorder, the clash demands cool heads amid Espanyol’s finest streak in years.
Hansi Flick’s charges brace for a hostile reception, steeling for a powderkeg atmosphere laced with personal barbs.
That star is Pere Milla, Espanyol winger whose TV quip on comedy show Perico Que Vola ignited fury: asked who’d he rather “step on”—Barcelona keeper Joan Garcia or wunderkind Lamine Yamal—Milla deadpanned, “I think Lamine,” sparking studio roars before hosts dubbed headlines “Milla wants to step on Lamine Yamal.”
Framed as jest, the remark—aired amid audience grilling and Milla blasting a Joan Garcia cut-out—lands loaded in derby’s cauldron.
Espanyol boss Manolo Gonzalez dismisses Barcelona’s lectures, insisting atmospheres match historic intensity, while Flick eyes normal handling.
Extra security underscores perils: nets protect Garcia from projectiles, appeals urge fervent yet restrained support.
Lamine Yamal, fresh from training return post-soreness, embodies Barca’s youth edge; Milla’s taunt personalizes the grudge.
Derby’s anomaly—Espanyol soaring, Barca leading—fuels volatility. Milla’s edge-riding risks flare-ups, echoing past clashes marred by fan incidents.
Flick preaches focus; Yamal’s brilliance (17 goals, Euro semis, Clásico strikes) thrives under pressure. Espanyol crave an upset; Barcelona’s title charge demands derby dominance.
High-risk protocols brace for storm, but words sharpen blades in Catalonia’s fiercest rivalry.
As RCDE Stadium braces under high-risk protocols, Catalonia’s fiercest feud promises fireworks, with Barcelona’s supremacy on the line.
Want to get the latest Barcelona news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
