According to a report by Barca Universal on Thursday, October 22, 2026, former Barcelona and Real Madrid winger Luis Figo has praised Lamine Yamal ahead of Sunday's El Clasico and shared his thoughts on how Jose Mourinho could try to limit the Barcelona youngster's influence.

The Portuguese football legend also predicted that the highly anticipated clash between the Spanish rivals would end in a 2-2 draw, with Yamal, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham all finding the back of the net.

Speaking on a Betfair programme, Figo jokingly remarked that playing alongside Yamal might have required him to switch positions. The Barcelona youngster currently operates on the right wing, a position where Figo established himself as one of the finest players during his career.

The former Ballon d'Or winner also maintained that he would have been good enough to earn a starting place for either Barcelona or Real Madrid during his playing days. He recalled joining Barcelona at a young age, when restrictions on foreign players affected opportunities within the squad.

Figo also offered his opinion on how Mourinho could approach the challenge of containing Yamal. Having worked with the Portuguese manager at Inter Milan, he believes Mourinho would not instruct one player to follow the teenager everywhere on the pitch.

Instead, Figo expects Real Madrid's players to focus on containing Yamal whenever he enters dangerous areas of their defensive territory. He considers assigning a dedicated man-marker to the Barcelona winger throughout the match an impractical strategy.

Looking ahead to Sunday's encounter, Figo anticipates an open contest in which both teams will have several opportunities to score. He believes Barcelona's attacking approach and aggressive pressing could leave spaces for Real Madrid to exploit, particularly through Mbappe's pace and Bellingham's forward movements.

The former winger also suggested that Mourinho could have been successful as Barcelona's manager. According to Figo, the Portuguese tactician already had an understanding of the club's football philosophy from their time working together under managers Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal.

Figo also spoke positively about his former manager Johan Cruyff, describing their time together as an extraordinary experience. Additionally, he insisted that Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario remains in a class of his own, despite comparisons involving Mbappe and Raphinha.

On the possibility of another direct transfer between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Figo expressed doubts that such a move would happen, pointing to the enormous transfer fees and release clauses associated with modern football. However, he acknowledged that Rodri possesses the qualities and playing style needed to fit into either team.

Finally, Figo reflected on his record of scoring four goals in El Clasico encounters. He maintained that he would not change anything about his career, despite missing the opportunity to play at Camp Nou during the 2002 Champions League semi-final.

His comments have added another perspective to the build-up to Sunday's El Clasico, with particular attention on Yamal's influence and the tactical challenge he could present to Real Madrid.