Mourinho sees Lamine Yamal’s quality up close in Real Madrid’s Clasico victory

Real Madrid moved to within three points of Barcelona in the Spanish league after Jose Mourinho’s side won the Clasico 2-1, with Kylian Mbappe scoring both goals and the visitors’ defensive organisation limiting the threat posed by Lamine Yamal.

The closely fought match was decided by Real Madrid’s efficiency in front of goal and their ability to contain Barcelona, particularly on the right side of their attack. Yamal struggled to find a way past the defensive setup and was unable to make the same impact he has produced in other matches.

The result strengthened Real Madrid’s position in the title race and gave Mourinho further momentum after recent victories in La Liga and the Champions League. The team’s performances have also improved in recent matches.

Cucurella frustrates Yamal

One of the key individual battles took place between Yamal and Marc Cucurella, who successfully restricted the Barcelona forward’s movement. Yamal appeared frustrated at times as he tried to get beyond the Spain defender.

In the 32nd minute, Yamal appealed to referee Martinez Munuera for Cucurella to be booked after a challenge. The Barcelona player believed his opponent had committed several fouls against him without receiving a yellow card.

Match footage also showed Yamal attempting to tempt Cucurella into another challenge that could have resulted in a booking. During one attack, the forward held on to the ball for about 10 seconds in an apparent effort to provoke the defender into fouling him.

Cucurella remained involved until the final whistle despite being subjected to jeers from the stands. He was not shown a yellow card in the first half, even though he committed several fouls against the Barcelona attacker.

Mourinho impressed by Yamal

Although Real Madrid’s defensive plan proved effective, Mourinho said he gained a greater appreciation of Yamal’s ability by watching him from close range rather than on television.

“I do not understand how good players are until they are in front of me. On television, I lack perspective. I saw Lamine from 10 metres away and understood the quality,” the Portuguese manager said.

Mourinho described Yamal as an extremely intelligent player who is difficult to mark. He added that the forward had tried to draw Cucurella into a booking, but said the Real Madrid defender handled the situation well.

The manager also praised Diomand’s contribution to stopping Barcelona from making use of their numerical advantage and creating dangerous chances.

Previous comments add to rivalry

The latest contest recalled earlier comments by Yamal about Cucurella’s arrival in the Spain squad. Speaking on the “Tiempo de Juego” programme on Cadena COPE, Yamal said he had told Cucurella he would start the first match, but would be on the bench for the second because Yamal would beat him.

The battle also echoed Chelsea’s Champions League meeting with Barcelona, when Cucurella managed to reduce Yamal’s influence and produced a strong defensive display that earned him the player-of-the-match award.