Back
Former Barcelona and Real Madrid winger Luis Figo has explained how Jose Mourinho could try to stop Lamine Yamal ahead of Sunday's El Clasico between the two Spanish clubs.
According to a report by Barca Universal on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Figo praised the Barcelona youngster and shared his prediction for the match, which he expects to end in a 2-2 draw. He tipped Yamal, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham to score.
Speaking on a Betfair programme, Figo joked that playing alongside Yamal might have forced him to move to another position. The Barcelona star currently plays on the right wing, the same position Figo occupied during his career.
The former Ballon d'Or winner also said he would have been good enough to start for either side during his playing days. He recalled joining Barcelona as a young player when restrictions on foreign players affected opportunities within the squad.
Figo, who worked with Mourinho at Inter Milan, believes the Portuguese coach would not ask one player to follow Yamal throughout the match. Instead, he expects Real Madrid players to focus on the teenager whenever he enters their defensive areas.
Looking ahead to Sunday's game, Figo expects both teams to create chances. He believes Barcelona's attacking approach and high pressing could leave spaces for Madrid to exploit with Mbappe's pace and Bellingham's forward runs.
Figo also believes Mourinho could have managed Barcelona successfully because he understood the club's philosophy from their time working together under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal.
He described his time with former Barcelona manager Johan Cruyff as an incredible experience. Figo also maintained that Ronaldo Nazario remains incomparable, despite similarities between the Brazilian, Mbappe and Raphinha.
On the possibility of another direct transfer between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Figo said such a move would be unlikely because of high transfer fees and release clauses. However, he believes Rodri has the quality and playing style to fit either club.
Figo also reflected on scoring four goals in El Clasico matches. He said he would not change anything about his career, despite missing the chance to play at Camp Nou in the 2002 Champions League semi-final.