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Spanish influencer Ines Garcia has pushed back against claims that she ended a five-year relationship to date Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, saying the viral story was built around false assumptions about her friendship with a man named Gonzalo.
The denial followed growing speculation after Garcia, 21, and Yamal, 18, were reportedly seen together during a holiday in Greece. Although their social media activity and several public sightings have fueled dating rumors, neither Garcia nor Yamal has publicly confirmed that they are in a relationship.
The controversy took off after social media users claimed Garcia had left a longtime partner once Yamal showed an interest in her. Some posts identified the alleged former boyfriend as Gonzalo Torres, while others relied on earlier affectionate comments and online interactions as evidence of a romantic relationship.
Garcia rejected that interpretation in an Instagram Stories video shared on May 19, saying Gonzalo was her friend rather than a boyfriend.
“I didn’t want to respond to this. At what point on Twitter or anywhere else was I in a relationship with my friend Gonzalo for five years? And that I’ve left him to be with someone else? It doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t have any consistency. We can all talk for the sake of talking but this is just silly. That’s all I will say. It doesn’t make any sense. If you’re going to paint any picture, then make it more consistent,” she said.
Her response directly addressed the central allegation that she had cheated on or broken up with a committed partner to pursue Yamal.
Rumors linking Garcia and Yamal began after users noticed that they followed each other on Instagram, liked each other’s posts and appeared to exchange subtle online interactions.
The speculation later picked up following reported sightings at a dinner in Sitges, during a helicopter ride in Barcelona and, most recently, while vacationing in Greece.
Some users also claimed Garcia had cleared photographs from her Instagram account before the Greece trip. However, the source report said her page had not been wiped despite the continuing speculation.
Garcia is a Spanish influencer from Seville, while Yamal plays for Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Their reported connection has attracted intense attention because of Yamal’s growing international profile.
Despite the sightings and online activity, there has been no official confirmation that the pair are dating. Garcia’s statement focused only on denying the claim that she had left a five-year relationship for the footballer.
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