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Nuno Mendes played a key role in neutralizing Lamine Yamal. |
In the early hours of October 2nd at Montjuïc, Paris Saint-Germain left Barcelona with a 2-1 victory, and the spotlight wasn't just on Gonçalo Ramos' late goal, but also on the outstanding performance of Nuno Mendes. The Portuguese left-back proved his teammate Achraf Hakimi's confident statement: "Lamine Yamal will have to face the best left-back in the world ."
Yamal was completely locked down.
Barcelona had high hopes for the return of Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old star who had just recovered from injury. Early in the match, Yamal's speedy dribble impressed the Montjuïc stadium crowd. However, that was almost the only moment the young talent made an impact. For the rest of the game, he was constantly marked by Nuno Mendes.
Mendes not only defended solidly but also contributed directly to the attack. In the 38th minute, he surged down the left flank, evaded Jules Kounde's marking, and delivered a cross, creating an opportunity for Senny Mayulu to equalize. That situation perfectly showcased Mendes' qualities: speed, tenacity in tackles, and the ability to choose the right moment to join the attack.
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Lamine Yamal faced considerable difficulty against Nuno Mendes. |
Yamal, who was Barca's biggest hope in breaking through PSG's defense, ended the match with a yellow card for fouling Lucas Hernandez - a testament to their inability to find a way to penetrate the flank guarded by Mendes.
The statistics speak for themselves, showing why Mendes was voted Man of the Match. According to the compiled statistics:
- Mendes' pass accuracy rate is nearly 90% , significantly better than Yamal's of around 74%.
- Mendes created more attacking opportunities and had one decisive assist, while Yamal made no significant impact in terms of finishing.
- In terms of discipline, Mendes maintained a very good record: he didn't make any mistakes that directly led to dangerous opportunities for Barca.
With Barca having taken 12 shots but only scoring one goal, neutralizing Yamal – their most anticipated striker – was key to PSG holding firm before delivering the decisive blow at the end of the match.
The qualities of a complete defender.
Nuno Mendes is only 23 years old but is showing rare maturity. He neutralized Yamal not only with his speed, but also with his ability to read the game and his patience. He wasn't drawn into his opponent's risky dribbling, but always chose to intelligently cover and wait for opportunities to counter-attack.
This has been proven at the national team level. In the Nations League final against Spain, Mendes declared: "I completely neutralized Yamal." And this morning, he replicated that feat in the Champions League, proving it's no coincidence.
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Nuno Mendes continued to have a great fight. |
Before the match, Hakimi confidently stated that Yamal would be facing "the best left-back in the world." Given what happened, it's clear he wasn't exaggerating. Mendes delivered a near-perfect performance: neutralizing Barca's most dangerous weapon while also making a significant contribution to the victory.
PSG became the first team to win three consecutive away games against Barcelona in European competition. But that achievement wasn't just a collective triumph – it was also linked to the brilliance of Nuno Mendes. And after a brilliant night at Montjuïc, it's hard to deny: Hakimi was right.
Source: https://znews.vn/hakimi-da-dung-ve-nuno-mendes-post1590087.html
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