Spain’s football world has been thrown into chaos after young sensation Mastantuono made a controversial statement in a post-match interview when asked about being compared to Lamine Yamal. With a calm but cutting tone, he said: “I come from a serious, disciplined family — no chaos, no scandal. I’m loyal to one person, just like I am to football.”
The words immediately set social media ablaze, as many interpreted them as a personal dig at Yamal — especially amid the viral rumors surrounding the Barça star’s father and his controversial engagement to a woman 17 years younger.
Spanish fans and media are now fiercely divided. Some applaud Mastantuono’s confidence and refusal to play the comparison game, while others accuse him of crossing the line and disrespecting a fellow player’s family. What was meant to be a simple interview has now ignited one of Spain’s most heated young rivalries.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, 18, splits from girlfriend Nicki Nicole, 25, after claims of fling with Italian influencer
Yamal has been linked with glamorous social media star Anna Gegnoso
LAMINE YAMAL says he has split from his Argentinian singer girlfriend Nicki Nicole following rumours he had cheated on her with an Italian influencer.
Journalist and YouTuber Javier de Hoyos claimed on Spanish TV to have received a message from the teenage Barcelona star confirming the split – but insisting he hadn’t been unfaithful.
The pair went public with their relationship at the end of August as Lamine, 18, stepped out with Nicki to celebrate her 25th birthday, around a month after they were spotted kissing at a nightclub.
Javier de Hoyos, who first broke the news they were seeing each other, said on showbiz programme D Corazon on La 1, the Spanish equivalent of BBC1: “Lamine Yamal has just written to me.
“This is an exclusive. Lamine tells me he and Nicki Nicole, who as you know was his girlfriend, are no longer together.
“But there are a a few things he wants to clarify because in the last few days there has been a lot of speculation about whether he could have been unfaithful to Nicki or not.”
Looking at the mobile phone he was holding in his hand Javier, one of D Corazon’s two presenters, said: “He’s cleared this up. He says they’re not together anymore and it hasn’t been because of any infidelity. We’ve simply separated and that’s it.
“Everything that’s been coming out has nothing to do with our relationship.
“Lamine tells me the trip to Italy has nothing to do with all of this, that he was no longer dating Nicki when he went and he hasn’t been with anyone else.”
Neither Lamine or Nicki have yet made any comment on their social media, nearly 24 hours after the show aired.
The star couple shared clips earlier this month of a romantic helicopter ride during a holiday while the Spain international was sidelined by a groin injury.
Reports in Spanish media earlier this week suggested Lamine had secretly met Italian influencer Anna Gegnoso during a recent trip to Milan, reigniting rumours of a past affair between the two.
Anna has more than 700,000 followers on Instagram, and is a keen football fan.
The influencer has attended Napoli matches, and even wore a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia shirt prior to the Georgian’s move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Anna wrote of the winger at the time: “You know that I love you.”
Yamal, second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings behind winner Ousmane Dembele, has made headlines lately because of his ongoing groin issues and his reported purchase of Gerard Pique and Shakira’s former home.
Catalan daily Sport says Lamine has a condition called Pubalgia, which causes muscles to converge in the pubic area and prompts discomfort.
Barcelona chiefs are said to fear the condition could be chronic with no obvious cure.
Yesterday, the footballer posted a snap showing him outside a luxury property described as the house formerly owned by ex-Barcelona star Pique and singer Shakira before their ugly 2022 split.
It followed Spanish media reports he had snapped it up for £9.5million and is planning to live there with his cousin and a friend.
