"The whole team has to be involved" - Sevilla star details how team will try to stop Barcelona's Lamine Yamal ahead of LaLiga clash

Sevilla midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga has explained how his team plan to shut down Barcelona star Lamine Yamal in their LaLiga clash this Sunday (February 10).

Yamal has been in extraordinary form for the Blaugrana this season. He has scored 10 goals and provided 16 assists in 29 appearances across competitions so far.

The 17-year-old sensation graduated from Barcelona's infamous La Masia academy and earned his first-team promotion in 2023. He quickly established himself in Xavi's side and went on to make 50 appearances, contributing seven goals and assists apiece.

The Spain international continued to shine at the 2024 Euros, helping La Roja triumph in Germany. He racked up four assists and a goal at the tournament.

Yamal has shown no signs of slowing down this season and will certainly pose an interesting problem for Sevilla when the Blaugrana travel to face them at the weekend.

Speaking about Yamal in an interview ahead of the match, Lokonga praised the young talent before detailing the team approach Sevilla will use to stop him.

The Belgian midfielder, who's on loan from Arsenal, said (via Barca Universal):

“I really like him; he is a good player, very young. To stop players like him, the whole team has to be involved. One-on-one is very difficult, so we need to close him down as a team."

Barcelona will face Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals later tonight (Wednesday, February 5) before taking on Sevilla.

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Barcelona legend claims Lamine Yamal will wear iconic No.10 shirt next season

Barcelona legend Rivaldo has claimed that Lamine Yamal will be next in line to wear the club's iconic No.10 jersey. The number has been donned by many great players at the club, including Romario, Diego Maradona, and Rivaldo himself.

Ronaldinho wore it after joining the club from Paris Saint-Germain in 2003 before his departure five years later, passing it down to club icon Lionel Messi. The Argentine, who was supposed to end his career in Barcelona, ended up leaving in 2021.

Ansu Fati then took over the shirt from Messi and was tipped to be the club's next biggest talent. However, his tenure in Barcelona hasn't gone as anticipated and he has been linked with an exit.

And Rivaldo believes Yamal will receive the No.10 jersey next season. He said in an interview with SPORT:

"He plays as if he is 25 years old, with a lot of experience, he plays easily. It has already been said that next season he will wear the No. 10 shirt. With the personality he has, he will surely soon be a candidate for the best player in Europe and the world. He is a player I admire, I like his style of play.”