‘’We’ll have to put four or six on him’ – Diego Simeone responds to Lamine Yamal’s challenge ahead of Barcelona’s clash with Atletico
The Atletico boss knows the threat the teenager provides.
Diego Pablo Simeone, head coach of Atletico de Madrid, interacts with Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports football match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano on April 4, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Diego Simeone has joked he’ll put “four or six men” on Lamine Yamal in response to the Barcelona teenager’s pre-match comments ahead of tonight’s Champions League quarter-final second leg. Yamal said “let’s see if Cholo does me a favor and puts me one-on-one with some player” in the build-up to the game and the Atletico boss was asked about the possibility of man-marking the Barca star before kick-off.
“Leave him alone one-on-one? He’s a tough player to mark, we’ll have to put four, or six players on him,” he said with a smile. “It’s tough to keep an eye on him.
” “I’ve seen the team enthusiastic, eager to do things well. You have a plan of what you want to happen. In the end, it’s the players who make the difference.
” Flick also spoke before kick-off and discussed his team selection after handing starts to Gavi, Dani Olmo, Fermín López and Ferran Torres. “I’m 9 out of 10 in terms of confidence with the team,” he said. “We need to stabilize our defense, improve, but scoring is our strong point.