Mourinho reveals the Yamal surprise: "I saw him from 10 metres away and understood"!
Coucourella stopped him:
Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid edged a tight Clasico 2-1, with Kylian Mbappe's brace settling the contest against Barcelona. Just as crucial was the defensive organisation that smothered the hosts, none more so than Lamine Yamal, who struggled all night to find a way through Real Madrid's right flank.
According to Spanish newspaper "Sport", the win tightened the La Liga race, cutting the gap to Barcelona to just three points. It also handed Mourinho fresh momentum after recent victories in the league and the Champions League, with performances on the pitch clearly on the rise.
Yamal under pressure
The right flank produced one of the match's standout individual duels. Marc Cucurella kept Lamine Yamal firmly in check, and the youngster grew visibly frustrated at times, unable to shake off the Spanish defender.
In the 32nd minute, Yamal appealed to referee Martinez Munuera for a booking after a Cucurella challenge, arguing that the defender had fouled him repeatedly without ever seeing yellow.
Replays exposed the Barcelona star's own ploy. He held onto the ball for roughly ten seconds in one attack, baiting Cucurella into a challenge that might have earned a card.
Mourinho acknowledges Yamal's intelligence
His defensive plan worked, yet Mourinho couldn't hide his admiration for Yamal. Watching him up close, he admitted, revealed the player's true level in a way television never could.
The Portuguese coach said: "I don't understand how good players are until they are in front of me. On television I lack the perspective. I saw Lamine from 10 metres away and I understood the quality."
Yamal, he added, is a hugely intelligent player and a nightmare to mark. He explained that the forward had tried to tempt Cucurella into a yellow card, only for Real Madrid's defender to handle the situation superbly. Mourinho also praised Diouamnde for stopping Barcelona turning their numerical edge into clear chances.
Old statements reveal the nature of the challenge
Their rivalry runs deeper than one night. It traces back to earlier comments from Yamal about Cucurella's Spain call-up. Speaking on the programme "Tiempo de Juego" on "Cadena Cope" radio, he said he had told the defender he would start the first match but sit on the bench in the second, because Yamal would get the better of him.
In the Clasico, Cucurella fought on to the final whistle despite jeers raining down from the stands. The referee kept his cards in his pocket throughout the first half, even as the defender racked up several fouls on the Barcelona forward.
Chelsea's Champions League clash with Barcelona springs to mind here. On that night too, Cucurella shut Yamal down completely and produced a defensive display that earned him the man of the match award.
