Pundit Stefano Cecchi, speaking on Radio Sportiva, offered his thoughts on Lamine Yamal`s recent display against Inter. While acknowledging the young Spaniard`s clear talent, Cecchi posed a challenging question: “Had Yamal been up against a defender from a bygone era, perhaps a figure like Gentile or someone embodying the `archaic` style of football, would he have been able to perform as he did?”
Cecchi suggested that during the first half, the “formidable talent” Yamal didn`t have a tenacious defender specifically tasked with shutting him down. He also brought up Federico Dimarco, noting his effectiveness with the ball but suggesting defensive frailties, citing some goals conceded in cup matches as evidence.
Cecchi further reflected that Italian football might have somewhat lost its traditional focus on rigorous defending, concluding that “in football, restraining an opponent`s talent is by no means a mortal sin.”