Barcelona prodigy names Real Madrid defender as the toughest he has faced so far | OneFootball

Barcelona’s young sensation, Lamine Yamal, recently shared that Ferland Mendy is the most formidable defender he has encountered so far in his budding football career.

It is worth noting that during his debut season with the Blaugrana, Yamal faced off against Real Madrid three times, with the team from the Spanish capital emerging victorious in all these matches.

In their first league match of the 2023/24 season, Yamal was initially kept on the bench. It wasn’t until the 76th minute that he got his chance to shine on the field, replacing Joao Cancelo. Despite his efforts, the game ended in favour of Real Madrid.

In the return leg fixture, Real Madrid secured a 3-2 victory. This time, Yamal was named in the starting lineup for Barcelona, but Mendy was not part of Real Madrid’s starting XI for this match, with Eduardo Camavinga taking the left-back position instead.

Despite Mendy’s absence, Yamal faced a tough challenge as he tried to help his team secure a win.

Ferland Mendy is the toughest defender Lamine Yamal has faced. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The third encounter between these two football giants occurred in the Spanish Super Cup final. For this significant match, Yamal once again began the game on the bench but was brought on as a substitute in the second half.

Interestingly, Mendy was in Real Madrid’s starting lineup and played the full 90 minutes. Even with Yamal’s introduction in the second half, Barcelona could not turn the tide in their favour.

Yamal’s previous mention of Mendy

Currently, Yamal is representing his national team at the Euros. During a recent interview with Radioestadio, he was asked about the toughest defender he has faced in his career so far.

Without hesitation, Yamal said, “The full-back who has defended me best is Mendy.”

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Yamal has praised Mendy. Back in March, Yamal expressed how difficult it was for him to get past Mendy during the Spanish Super Cup, saying:

“In the Spanish Super Cup final, Ferland Mendy was a tough challenge for me.”

Mendy, whose current contract at Real Madrid expires in 2025, is likely to continue at the club this season after his exceptional performances in the season gone by.