Real Madrid know one of the keys to success against Barcelona is stopping Lamine Yamal, a job Álvaro Carreras will now be tasked with as the club’s new left back.
Barcelona dominated Real Madrid last season, winning all four Clásicos to ultimately claim La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey. The Catalans bagged 16 goals against Los Blancos, and nearly a third of them were scored or created by Yamal.
After signing three defensive reinforcements this summer, though, including 22-year-old Carreras, Real Madrid will hope to finally get the better of their bitter rivals.
Carreras might have only made his Real Madrid debut a few days ago, but the Spaniard is already feeling the pressure of his first El Clásico. While signing autographs for fans, a Madridista exclaimed, “You have to stop Lamine Yamal!”
🚨 Álvaro Carreras, con los aficionados a la salida de Valdebebas.
— Álvaro Esteban (@alvaro_esteban6) August 11, 2025
Un aficionado: "¡Hay que parar a Lamine Yamal!"@Blancaremontada pic.twitter.com/i61mw0lHuo
It is still unknown whether Carreras will win the starting job on the left flank for Los Blancos, but the former Benfica standout seems like the frontrunner after getting the nod in Real Madrid’s lone preseason friendly against WSG Tirol.
He beat out Fran García, who put in several impressive performances at the FIFA Club World Cup. Ferland Mendy remains sidelined after undergoing surgery for a ruptured tendon in his right quadriceps muscle.
Recent reports claim Real Madrid want to sell Mendy and stick with Carreras and García moving forward, but no official moves have been made. Should the Frenchman remain in a white shirt next season, he could potentially see his place in the team’s XI taken by Carreras.
After all, the club likely did not spend €50 million ($58.42 million) to bring the fullback to the Spanish capital for him to sit on the bench. All signs point to Carreras being the man on the left flank for Los Blancos, which pits him against Yamal.
The good news for Carreras is that he has a few months to get acclimated to playing in La Liga and with his new team before he must face one of the best wingers in the world on Sunday, Oct. 26. Still, not much will prepare him to go against Yamal in the biggest rivalry in the Spain.
READ THE LATEST REAL MADRID NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as New Real Madrid Star Receives Lamine Yamal, El Clasico Warning .
