El Clásico: ‘He stopped very good, clever Yamal’ – Mourinho singles out Real Madrid star

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has praised defender Marc Cucurella for his impressive defensive performance against Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal during Sunday’s El Clásico.

Mourinho acknowledged the Spanish defender’s composure and discipline in dealing with Yamal, whom he described as one of the best and most intelligent players in football.

Cucurella reportedly delivered an outstanding display at left-back, helping Real Madrid secure a 2-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou. He was selected ahead of Álvaro Carreras to deal with the attacking threat posed by the Barcelona winger.

Throughout the 90-minute contest, Cucurella limited Yamal’s influence, preventing the youngster from creating dangerous opportunities in attacking areas.

Speaking after the match, Mourinho highlighted the difficulty of containing the Barcelona star and praised Cucurella for maintaining his composure.

“The kid is very good and difficult because, besides being good, he’s clever,” Mourinho said.

He added: “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.”

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Mourinho also explained that rotating his left-backs helped keep Cucurella physically fit and mentally focused. “We have two top-level left-backs, which also allows me to manage playing time a bit,” he noted, adding that Carreras’ involvement in Wednesday’s fixture had helped ensure Cucurella was ready for the demanding El Clásico.