Yamal faced the biggest 'nightmare' of his career

Nuno Mendes stood out during the matchup with Lamine Yamal, significantly contributing to PSG's 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League.

Perhaps Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi was right when he claimed that his teammate Nuno Mendes is currently the best left-back in the world. Mendes clearly proved this in the early hours of October 2 (Vietnam time), when he completely contained the young star Lamine Yamal and provided a crucial assist, helping PSG beat Barcelona 2-1 in the Champions League.

Hakimi, who also assisted the decisive goal in the 90th minute for Gonçalo Ramos, stated before the match that Yamal “would have to face the best left-back in the world.” He emphasized that Mendes “is capable of stopping Yamal,” and indeed Mendes did just that, earning the Man of the Match award.

Yamal started promisingly, impressing with a speedy dribble in the opening minutes at Montjuïc stadium. However, for most of the game, the 18-year-old Barcelona talent was tightly marked by the 23-year-old Portuguese defender: “I am very pleased to see young players perform, mature, play well, and impress the fans. We always face top-class opponents. What matters most to me is the identity and attitude of the team and club, and today we witnessed that," shared PSG coach Luis Enrique.

It can be said that Nuno Mendes has become the biggest “nightmare” in Lamine Yamal’s young career so far. PSG’s recent Champions League win over Barcelona was not the first time the Portuguese defender silenced the 18-year-old star. Previously, in the Nations League final, Mendes completely shut down Yamal, helping Portugal defeat Spain to claim the title. With two consecutive setbacks, Mendes has shown he is not only one of the world’s best left-backs but also a true rival to the player who recently finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

This was Yamal’s first start for Barcelona since August, following a groin injury during the Spain national team camp in September. Last weekend, he only came off the bench in the 2-1 La Liga win over Real Sociedad.

At the end of the game, Yamal also received a yellow card for a foul on Lucas Hernández. With this victory, PSG became the first team to secure three consecutive away wins against Barcelona in European competitions, while Barca missed the chance to extend their winning streak to six across all tournaments.

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