Gvardiol on Yamal: He is unstoppable even on his worst day

After Croatia's heavy defeat to Spain in the Nations League, defender Josko Gvardiol praised the skills of the young opposing star, Lamine Yamal. In the match held in Seville, the reigning world champions secured a convincing victory by scoring four unanswered goals. The Barcelona academy graduate caught everyone's attention with his brilliant performance. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

According to Goal.com, while the collective effort of the Spanish national team was commendable, it was Yamal who became the main protagonist on the pitch. The young winger scored two goals and provided a crucial assist during the match. This situation became a serious headache for the Croatian defensive line, including Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol.

Defensive problems and Yamal's skill

In his post-match interview, Gvardiol openly admitted how difficult it was to mark the opposing player. According to the Croatian defender, stopping such a talent in one-on-one situations is an almost impossible task. He believes that playing with two defenders against Yamal is always required, but even then, he manages to assert his dominance.

"We know exactly what kind of player Yamal is. If you give him space for a one-on-one duel, he will definitely take advantage of it. He always needs to be marked by two people; sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Even on his worst day, he can still dribble past opponents at least ten times," said Gvardiol, acknowledging the opponent's speed and technique.

Excessive respect for the world champions

Josko Gvardiol believes that the Croatians were a bit too timid against the reigning world champions at the start of the match. An early goal conceded in the opening minutes changed the team's overall plan, and they struggled to find their rhythm. The experienced defender analyzed the reasons for the defeat while acknowledging the opponent's level.

"It was a tough game and a bitter defeat in the end. We have to congratulate them; they are not world champions for nothing. We knew what to expect, it's not easy to play against such a team away from home, but I think we showed them a bit too much respect. We conceded an early goal, which confused us and made it difficult to recover," he added.

Striker Dion Drena Beljo, who scored Croatia's only goal in the match, also supported his teammate's views. He noted that the Spaniards moved very freely in the final third and that the lack of defensive discipline cost the team dearly. Acknowledging the high level of the opponent, Beljo did not hide that the end of the match left an unpleasant impression on the team.