Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso declined to respond on Saturday to comments made by Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, who accused the Madrid club of “cheating” and “complaining” during a televised appearance on Friday.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu, Alonso kept his focus firmly on the match, stressing its significance for LaLiga leaders Real Madrid, who currently sit two points ahead of second-placed Barcelona.

Reporters repeatedly pressed Alonso on Yamal’s remarks, which the 18-year-old made during an appearance on Gerard Piqué’s Kings League programme. Yamal had compared Real Madrid to Kings League side Porcinos, saying:

“Of course! Yes, they cheat, they complain…”

Piqué agreed with the young forward’s assessment, sparking debate in the build-up to one of world football’s most high-profile fixtures.

When asked about the remarks, Alonso brushed off the controversy.

“It’s an important match… important enough,” he said. “It has many ingredients for us to play well and enjoy it. That’s what excites us the most — the biggest incentive for tomorrow.”

Pressed further, Alonso made his position clear.

“No, I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “There have been a lot of statements from people in Barcelona, and I can’t comment on all of them. For us, the focus is on the pitch — what happens there, where we’ve come from, and what lies ahead. That’s what matters to me and what we’ve been preparing for.”

Visibly frustrated when the question arose a third time, Alonso — who succeeded Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid coach in June — added:

“Are we going back to that? What I have in mind is that it’s going to be an intense and competitive match. We have to be ready for everything. The players need to have the right adrenaline. I’m not thinking about other distractions.”

Alonso views this first El Clásico of the season as an opportunity for Madrid to reassert their dominance in high-pressure matches. Questions have been raised over the team’s consistency following heavy defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-finals and Atlético Madrid in LaLiga earlier this campaign.

Last season, Barcelona inflicted further damage on their rivals, winning four consecutive meetings across three competitions — including a 4–0 victory at the Bernabéu and a 5–2 triumph in the Spanish Super Cup final.

“This match has a special flavour — it’s the most important one right now,” Alonso said. “There will be similarities to last season, but it’s completely different this time. We want to maximise our strengths.

“An El Clásico is always special — and this one, the first of our project, carries extra meaning. We need the Bernabéu to have that big-match energy to push us forward. We believe we’re in good shape, both mentally and in terms of our football.”