The athlete faced an uncomfortable question about his rival and surprised everyone with a response that caught them off guard
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Franco Mastantuono is going through an intense adaptation period since his arrival at Real Madrid. His signing caused enormous expectations among Madridist fans, who were delighted with his first appearances in the professional squad.
However, a recent injury left him without playing time and forced him to focus on his recovery, while the club closely monitors his progress.
In this context, the Argentine forward gave one of his first interviews in Spain, on the program El Larguero, where he spoke about his current situation, his relationship with Madrid, and, above all, the constant comparisons with Lamine Yamal, Barcelona's gem and an established figure in European soccer.
The comparison with Yamal and the response no one expected
When he was asked how he felt about his name being associated with the young Catalan, Mastantuono avoided controversy.
"I don't like comparisons, but it's always nice to have rivals of Lamine Yamal's caliber. It motivates you to be better. I hope that competition lasts a long time," he stated.
What truly surprised everyone was his honesty when defining himself in relation to Barça's star: "Who's better today? Lamine. He's showing an unbelievable level. I've just arrived at Real Madrid, and I'm in the middle of the adaptation process. I hope I can quickly catch up with the pace of European soccer and the club," he acknowledged without hesitation.
Franco intentó mantener la neutralidad al hablar de Lamine
His words made an impact on Spanish social media and media outlets, which are used to more conservative statements in the Madrid–Barcelona classic. His humility, however, was widely highlighted by the press.
Mastantuono is in the final stage of his recovery and aims to be available for next weekend, when Real Madrid visits Elche for La Liga. Xabi Alonso will decide whether the young player is ready to return to action after the injury that forced him to halt his progress.
Off-the-field rumors that pitted them against each other
The comparisons with Lamine Yamal were not limited to the sports field. For months, headlines on social media and entertainment programs positioned them as rivals on a personal level as well, due to reports claiming that Nicki Nicole may have gotten close to Mastantuono while she was still romantically linked to Barcelona's forward.
The young Argentine, however, chose not to give any room for speculation and ended the interview focusing solely on soccer, reaffirming his commitment to Real Madrid and his desire to grow professionally.
