Cucurella limited Yamal throughout the 90-minute contest, preventing the Barca youngster from creating opportunities in dangerous attacking areas.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has singled out his defender Marc Cucurella for praise following his performance during Sunday’s El Clásico, saying: “He stopped very good, clever Yamal.”
The Portuguese tactician hailed the former Chelsea left-back while reacting to his team’s narrow 2-1 victory over their arch-rivals, Barcelona, at Camp Nou.
Cucurella delivered an outstanding performance, limiting Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal throughout the intriguing encounter. The Spanish defender was selected ahead of Álvaro Carreras to counter the threat posed by the high-flying winger.
Cucurella limited Yamal’s effectiveness throughout the 90-minute contest, preventing the youngster from creating opportunities in dangerous attacking areas.
After the match, Mourinho praised the defender’s ability to remain composed when facing one of the best footballers in the game. He also acknowledged that containing Yamal was one of Cucurella’s most demanding assignments.
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He said: “The kid is very good and difficult because, besides being good, he’s clever.
“He made multiple attempts to provoke Cucu into receiving a yellow card, yet Cucu demonstrated remarkable resilience.
“The victory reflected collective excellence, though this was arguably Cucu’s most difficult match, and he prevailed against an exceptionally talented opponent.”
Mourinho also emphasised that strategic player rotation was instrumental in ensuring Cucurella remained physically and mentally prepared for the demanding fixture.
“We have two top-level left-backs, which also allows me to manage playing time a bit,” Mourinho noted.
“Álvaro participated in Wednesday’s fixture, which has ensured Cucu maintains optimal physical condition and mental concentration, directing his attention exclusively towards this particular match.”
