Luis Figo in awe of Barcelona sensation, expects Mourinho to have a plan to stop him in Clasico

Luis Figo in awe of Barcelona sensation, expects Mourinho to have a plan to stop him in Clasico With the first El Clasico of the season just days away, it has already generated a lot of buzz, with personalities like Gerard Pique and other stars looking forward to the fixture. Luis Figo, a legend of both Real Madrid and Barcelona, shared his thoughts on the showpiece during his appearance on a Betfair programme (h/t AS ) where the 2000 Ballon d’Or winner reflects on his career and the upcoming match. Figo notably talked about Lamine Yamal while predicting Jose Mourinho to be a great coach for a club like Barcelona, among other things. Figo in awe of Lamine Yamal The former winger was quick to pay tribute to the current Barcelona number 10, joking that the teenager’s brilliance would have forced even him to switch positions. Figo has immense respect for Yamal. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images) “If we had played together, perhaps I would have had to play on the left and switch positions,” he said, acknowledging that Yamal is now undisputed in the right-wing role Figo himself used to occupy. “I had incredible talent, you know? Times are different now. When I arrived at Barcelona, I was barely 22 years old. I was very young, and we could only start with three foreign players. And I didn’t start out playing that much. It was a different time ,” he added. Asked whether, at his 2000 peak, he could feature in Sunday’s clash, Figo doesn’t see any reason as to why not. “What I do believe is that I could be a starter for either team. If I were the coach of either team, I would start myself. I can’t say otherwise… if I don’t say it, nobody will ,” he said. On Mourinho’s plan to stop Yamal and Clasico prediction Figo also turned his attention to how his compatriot might set up to contain Barcelona’s talisman. Having played alongside Mourinho’s teams and known him well, including a spell together at Inter Milan late in his career, Figo believes The Special One is unlikely to assign a dedicated man-marker to Yamal. “I think we see less and less man-marking on the field. Logically, you mark the player who drifts most into your area, in this case, the left-back. Man-marking him all over the field would be madness.” Figo believes Mourinho could have been a great coach at Barcelona. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) “It’s easier to focus on a specific player, in this case Lamine, when he’s close to your position. And at that moment, you’re more focused on that instant, rather than thinking about marking him all over the field,” he said. As for the result, the Portuguese is anticipating an entertaining stalemate. “A prediction? I’m going with 2-2, with goals from Raphinha and Lamine, and Bellingham and Mbappe ,” he said. “Barça is an attacking team, they always score goals. Real Madrid will surely have counter-attacking opportunities, and Mbappe is a player who thrives on space ahead of him. “ Since Barça always plays a high-pressing game, I think they’ll have those chances. Bellingham also knows how to make runs from deep,” he explained. Mourinho at Barcelona? Having worked alongside Mourinho at Barcelona, when the latter was an assistant to Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal, Figo is convinced his compatriot could have thrived in the opposite dugout. “He was already being discussed before Guardiola was hired. It must have been because they thought he had the qualities to manage Barça,” he said. “Perhaps when I worked with him he didn’t have the experience, but with time, considering what he won later, he certainly would have been a good Barça coach, because he had the ability and knowledge. “Had he returned, he would have known the club’s philosophy, he knew the team…,” he added. The Portuguese also reserved warm words for Johan Cruyff, the coach who influenced him most. “I remember him very fondly. He was my first coach outside of Portugal. We worked together in his last year as manager. And it was an incredible experience to be under his guidance,” he admitted. On Ronaldo comparisons and another ‘Figo case’ With Raphinha and Mbappe both drawing comparisons to Ronaldo Nazario, Figo, who played alongside the great Brazilian at both clubs, was clear that his former team-mate stands alone. “Perhaps Mbappe’s power and speed are more similar to Ronaldo’s… but neither is like him, Ronaldo is incomparable. Raphinha and Mbappe have their own characteristics, but Ronaldo’s physique and virtues made him unique,” he said. Finally, the man whose own switch between the clubs remains infamous believes such a transfer is now a thing of the past. “It’s probably very difficult to see another transfer from Real Madrid to Barcelona or vice versa, especially after what happened to me.” “Now the buyout clauses are incredibly high. The figures being set are inconceivable. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s very unlikely that either team can afford it. Figo doesn’t see another Figo-like transfer happening. (Photo by Clive Brunskill /Allsport) “Right now, for example, Barcelona can’t afford to spend such high amounts on transfers. I think it’s very complicated,” he added. On Rodri’s recent choice of Barcelona over Madrid, Figo saw merit in either outcome. “He’s a great fit for Barça because of their philosophy and playing style, and he would have also been a fantastic fit at Real Madrid because of his quality.” Finally, the Portuguese was asked whether he would change any of his four Clasico goals, all of which came at home. “I didn’t play that match in Barcelona because I was injured. But back then, away goals counted double in a knockout tie. If I had to change one of the goals, I might have made that change because of the double value. “But I did what I had to do at every stage of my career, and I’ve been lucky enough to score goals in Clasicos , so, honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing,” he reflected, referring to the 2002 Champions League semi-final at the Camp Nou.