Argentina's plan to stop Lamine Yamal in La Finalissima revealed ahead of clash with Lionel Messi's side

Argentina are the defending champions having beaten Italy at Wembley back in 2022 as goals from Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala saw the Albiceleste claim a 3-0 win. The 2026 edition, which was initially expected to take place last year, will now be played in March in Qatar.

Attention has quickly turned to how Argentina will contain Lamine Yamal, the teenage winger already considered one of the best in world football. Yamal won the 2025 Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in October and finished second to Ousmane Dembele for the main award after PSG's Champions League triumph over Inter last May.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, however, already has a plan in place to contain the Spain wing-wizard according to DobleAmarilla. The publication suggests that Scaloni will field a hard-working midfielder to constantly drop and provide cover for the Argentina left-back.

This in theory will create a "2-1" situation, which will limit Yamal's influence from the right flank. The 18-year-old is routinely targeted by markers in La Liga, though that hasn't stopped Yamal from scoring 10 times and providing eight assists as the defending champions seek to pip Real Madrid to top spot in La Liga this season.

Yamal will hope to add to that haul when Barcelona travel to Girona on Monday night. The Blaugrana have been knocked off top spot in La Liga after rivals Real Madrid eased to a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday night.

A win for Barcelona would see Hansi Flick's side return to top spot and the German manager will be looking for an immediate response from his players after Barcelona were torn to shreds by Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey in midweek.

Atleti were four goals to the good by half-time as a rampant Colchoneros side tore Barcelona to shreds. Eric Garcia scored an own goal early on before Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez saw the Madrid giants go in at the break 4-0 up.

Centre-back Garcia was shown his marching orders late on to leave Barcelona with a nigh-on impossible task on their hands for next week's second leg clash at Spotify Camp Nou.

Ahead of Monday's game, Flick told reporters: "The first 45 minutes were not right. We did not have the attitude to be competitive in this situation, in every duel, one against one situation, they were much better, (more) dynamic - this is what I want from the team."

The Barcelona boss has backed his players to bounce back to challenge for honours, but stressed the importance of a unified team performance going forward.

"When we play as a team, everyone 100 percent, we have huge quality," Flick continued. "Defeats happen, but it’s important how you react. This reaction I want to see tomorrow."

The comments come after Flick admitted that his Barcelona team were taught a lesson by Atletico. "We didn't play very good in the first half as a team," Flick started after the heavy defeat. "We had too much distance between everyone. We didn't press how we wanted. In the first 45 minutes or more, we got a lesson. Sometimes it's good in the right moment. Maybe today was the right moment.

"I am still proud of my team, maybe not today in the first 45 minutes, but across the whole season. When you see how many injuries we have all season, how we adapt...Today was a heavy loss but I am proud of my team. We will come back. We need to start from the beginning [of games].

"When you see Atlético players, they had more will, more hunger. And this is what I want from the first minute. We didn't show that in the first half. We have the second leg. We will fight for that. If we are able to win each half 2-0, this is our goal. We need our fans in Camp Nou and we will see what happens."

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