Aston Villa defender Pau Torres has offered strong backing for Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal and praised midfielder Rodri in comments to Sport newspaper ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Torres said he would have preferred a Spanish player to win the Ballon d'Or, and believes Yamal deserved it this year. "If it doesn't happen this year, it will happen shortly after, because Lamine is very close to winning it," he said, adding that Yamal "will certainly maintain his level and develop it."
On facing the teenager, Torres said it would be "a pleasure" to mark him and acknowledged his unpredictability. "He always surprises you, and you can't predict what he will do, and on many occasions it's not enough to have just one player marking him," he added.
Torres expressed approval of Barcelona's signing of Rodri, citing not only his quality but also the advantage of "depriving Real Madrid of getting him." He then recounted a story about his Spanish compatriot's humility: when preparing to leave university for Atlético Madrid, Rodri chose to sleep on a mattress in a friend's university accommodation rather than book a hotel.
Torres described Rodri as controlling "the midfield area with complete mastery" and rated him "the best player in the world in his position."
Regarding the upcoming match, Torres said Villa do not feel fear but have respect for Barcelona. He identified Mbappé, Allison and Nicolás Jackson as Villa's players with ability to advance directly toward goal, and suggested Barcelona's recent Champions League struggles have stemmed from having to play knockout rounds while at a numerical disadvantage. He noted the absence of defender Eric García, saying he had hoped to face his friend.
Source: goal.com
