He’s the hardest winger to stop - Cucurella on Yamal ahead of Champions League clash with Barcelona

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has admitted he is eagerly anticipating facing his former club Barcelona in this season’s Champions League, though he knows he will have a huge challenge trying to stop teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

The pair are currently on international duty with Spain, but attention is already turning to the eagerly awaited clash at Stamford Bridge on November 25.

“We’ll have to play in the Champions League. It’ll be a beautiful and special match, and I hope it’s a tough one for them,” Cucurella told reporters.

He continued, “We’re playing at home, and that’s always a plus. I can’t injure him either, because otherwise I won’t be able to come back to the national team! He’s the hardest winger to stop. He’s a very skillful player; you never know what he’s going to do. It’ll be tough, but I’ll try to make things as difficult as possible for him.”

The Spaniard, who came through Barca’s famed La Masia academy before moving abroad, admitted that there has already been banter among the players in the Spain camp about the fixture.

“They’re already saying we’re going to have to face each other; they say they’re going to beat us. I know we’re going to make things difficult for them.

“For me, it’ll be a special match; we’re also playing at home, and I think it will be very nice,” he added.

Chelsea and Barcelona’s meeting is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of the group stage, with Yamal’s form and Cucurella’s defensive resilience adding extra spice to the showdown.