Lamine Yamal’s big-game impact questioned after Real Madrid defeat

Lamine Yamal’s performance in Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat by Real Madrid has prompted international criticism, with doubts raised over whether the young winger can influence the biggest matches when faced with tight defensive marking.

Troy Deeney, the former Watford striker and CBS Sports analyst, was among the most prominent critics of Yamal’s display. His comments marked a change in stance from before the match, when he had ruled out the possibility of Real Madrid beating Barcelona.

“ We have seen Lamine score goals in important matches, but what is happening is concerning,” Deeney said. “We saw him against Lucas Hernandez and Marc Cucurella, and both of them managed to stop him. He is still young and has to learn, because the two best full-backs in the world were able to limit his threat and deny him space.”

Yamal struggled to get past Cucurella during the Clasico, as the Real Madrid defender stayed close to the Spain international and restricted his movement. That prevented Yamal from making full use of his ability in one-on-one situations, while he also missed a clear opportunity to score in the first half.

The 1-2 result increased scrutiny on the teenager’s performances against high-profile opponents. Yamal has previously shown he can score in major fixtures, but his inability to find a decisive moment against Real Madrid left him facing questions over his effectiveness when opponents focus their defensive plans on containing him.

The criticism was also reflected in coverage outside Spain. American publication Sports Illustrated highlighted Cucurella’s superiority in the individual contest and said Yamal appeared “frustrated and uncomfortable”.

The Associated Press focused on the chance Yamal missed shortly before half-time. Kylian Mbappe, by contrast, succeeded in settling the match in Real Madrid’s favour.