Real Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, is preparing to face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final tomorrow, a match with special significance following the trauma of the last two meetings between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The Italian coach is planning to make some adjustments to his squad in preparation for this encounter, focusing particularly on Barcelona player Lamine Yamal, who has become a major threat to the Whites. Yamal will undoubtedly be the key to the match, as Real Madrid will have to deal with him intelligently throughout the 90 minutes.
Lamine Yamal is one of the most promising young talents in the Spanish national team and has demonstrated the ability to threaten any defense, especially with his direct play in front of goal. However, his threat is not limited to his offensive capabilities; it also extends to the style of play that Hansi Flick introduced several months ago at Barcelona. In the previous two matches, attempts to stop him were ineffective, which contributed to the team being drained by unexpected goals.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper ‘‘Defensa Central‘‘, Yamal is likely to play on the right flank in tomorrow’s match, which will force Ancelotti to make a crucial decision on how to stop him.
Defensive options are limited in this situation, but the Italian coach is confident that one of his players can handle this major task. Although there are several players qualified for this role, Ancelotti prefers to rely on the most experienced player in this context.
“You can deal with him, you will eliminate him,” Ancelotti said, expressing his confidence in Ferland Mendy, who will be responsible for stopping Yamal. The coach is fully aware that Mendy needs support and encouragement, especially after a less-than-ideal start to the season, during which he suffered from some physical problems and has just returned from injury. However, Ancelotti believes in Mendy’s ability to perform this task effectively, and he confirmed this to him after the last training session.
Despite Fran Garcia’s good form in recent months, Mendy remains the best option to stop Yamal in this type of match.