Mourinho says no special plan to stop Yamal in El Clásico
- Mourinho told reporters Real Madrid will not change their structure to target Lamine Yamal.
- Real Madrid trail Barcelona by six points in La Liga and are without suspended Vinicius Junior.
- Barcelona lost 4-2 to PSG in the Champions League, where Yamal was closely marked.
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho says his side will not set up a special plan to stop Barcelona's Lamine Yamal when the two teams meet in El Clásico on Sunday evening at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Mourinho said he respects the young forward but will not reshape his team around one player.
"There's no specific plan anti-Lamine," Mourinho told reporters.
He added that "great players deserve respect" but that changing plans and structures is another matter, and said Barcelona's squad is as good as his own.
Why this match matters
Real Madrid go into the game six points behind Barcelona in La Liga, so a win would close the gap and a defeat would stretch it. Madrid will also be without the suspended Vinicius Junior, which limits Mourinho's options in attack.
Barcelona come into the match after a 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. According to the reports, PSG used close marking on Yamal in that game, which is the kind of approach Mourinho says he will not copy.
For Nigerian fans who follow La Liga closely, this is the fixture they circle on the calendar. Kick-off is Sunday evening at the Camp Nou, and the result will shape the title race in the weeks ahead.
What happens next
Both clubs play the match on Sunday, and the outcome will show whether Mourinho's decision to stick to his own principles pays off against a Barcelona side built around Yamal's creativity.
