Category sport-news

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal is facing an investigation regarding the presence of a group of people with dwarfism as entertainers at his 18th birthday party last weekend, Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights told AFP Tuesday.

The winger celebrated with a private event in Olivella, around 50 kilometres west of Barcelona, which the ministry asked the prosecutor’s office to probe, following a complaint from the Association for People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (ADEE).

Yamal turned 18 on July 13, the day after his party on Saturday night, which many of his team-mates attended, along with celebrities from the music world including Bizarrap and Bad Gyal.

“The ADEE has filed a complaint, so this ministry has asked the prosecutor’s office to investigate to see if the law has been violated and, therefore, the rights of people with disabilities (have been),” Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights told AFP.

READ ALSO: Teenage Barca Star Yamal Signs New Contract To 2031

ADEE “publicly denounces the hiring of people with dwarfism as part of the entertainment” and said they would take legal action as it “perpetuates stereotypes, fuels discrimination, and undermines the image and rights” of people with disabilities.

Guests were not permitted to film at the event but a video emerged of a group of people with dwarfism heading into the party.

“No one disrespected us, we were allowed to work in peace,” said one of the performers anonymously on Catalan radio station RAC1, saying there were four of them present.

“We’re normal people who dedicate ourselves to what we love doing in an absolutely legal way…

“For a couple of years these people (the ADEE) have wanted to harm us, they want to prevent us from doing what we like, but they have not offered any work or training to those who are affected…

“All this fuss has come about purely because it was Lamine Yamal’s party.”

The performer said they dance, deliver drinks and do magic tricks to entertain guests at the events they work at.

Dominican rapper Chimbala, of short stature, published a video on Instagram of himself singing on stage with Yamal, with Barca team-mates Gavi and Alejandro Balde dancing in the background.

“Lamine Yamal at 18, the best player in the world, signing my song ‘Abusadora’, thank you for inviting me to your (birthday),” wrote Chimbala.

Yamal is a candidate to win the Ballon d’Or after a helping Barcelona to a domestic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup last season.

The Spain international has scored 25 goals for the club in 106 appearances, having made his debut at just 15 years old in 2023.

Yamal’s representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

Croatia captain Luka Modric has signed a one-year deal with AC Milan at the age of 39, the Italian club said on Monday.

Last week, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner would head to the San Siro from Real Madrid after the Club World Cup.

Modric, who turns 40 in September, joined Madrid from Tottenham in 2012 and had been linked with a move to Italy since early June, after announcing he would leave the Spanish giants at the end of his contract.

“AC Milan are delighted to announce Luka Modric has signed a contract with the club until 30 June 2026 with an option for a one-year extension until 30 June 2027,” the 19-time Serie A winners said.

READ ALSO: Maresca Hails ‘Great Triumph’ In Winning Club World Cup

Modric was in Milan earlier on Monday to undergo medical tests but according to Italian media will only start training with his team-mates in August.

“I’m very happy to be here to start a new chapter in my career,” Modric said in a video on the club’s social media platforms.

“A big hug to everyone,” he added.

Allegri is back at the helm at Milan having led them to the Serie A title in 2011 during his first spell in charge between 2010 and 2014.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca insisted winning the Club World Cup meant as much as winning the Champions League after his side beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final of the first edition of FIFA’s new competition on Sunday.

“I have the feeling that this competition is going to be as important, if not more important than, the Champions League,” said Maresca after adding the trophy to the UEFA Conference League title his team won in May.

Maresca only took over at Chelsea a year ago but was previously on the coaching staff under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City when they won the Champions League in 2023.

“I was lucky to be on the coaching staff of a team that won the Champions League a few years ago, but this competition features the best teams in the world and I think we can value it on the same level,” said the Italian.

READ ALSO: Rampant Chelsea Thrash PSG To Clinch Club World Cup Title

“It is a great triumph for us and it will allow the Chelsea fans to have that on our shirt for the next four years, so it is a source of pride.”

Maresca said he instructed his players to go out and take the game to PSG from the off — they went on to net all three goals in the first half with Cole Palmer netting a brace before Joao Pedro added his name to the scoresheet.

“The message was to let them understand that we were here to win the game and I think in the first 10 minutes we showed them that,” Maresca said.

“That set the tone of the game, and then the quality of the players was also important.”

England international Palmer was named player of the match after bagging a brace and setting up Joao Pedro’s goal.

The 23-year-old therefore lived up to his superstar billing — his face has appeared on billboards around New York advertising the tournament, alongside the likes of Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

“To score the goals was a great feeling, as was the way the team showed fire out there — the gaffer’s game plan was spot on,” he said.

“I just try to do my job every time I go onto the pitch and hopefully I will continue.

“I have seen the billboards in Times Square and outside Madison Square Garden and it is obviously a nice feeling to be alongside those players,” he added.