Lamine Yamal’s first half withdrawal in Barcelona’s Champions League humiliation against PSG will be a ‘learning curve’ for the 16-year-old, Rio Ferdinand insists, as the youngster is sacrificed after Ronald Araujo red card

Rio Ferdinand insisted Lamine Yamal will learn from his early substitution in Barcelona‘s Champions League quarter-final tie.

The 16-year-old was substituted in the first half of his side’s chaotic tie against PSG after Ronald Araujo was sent off for a last-man tackle on Bradley Barcola just 29 minutes into the game.

The decision triggered a collapse from the home side, who were leading by two goals five minutes before the break.

A collapse of significant magnitude saw PSG race into a lead, however, with Barca manager Xavi also sent off – as well as a member of his coaching staff – in the second period having hooked his teenage sensation earlier in the game.

Despite the chaos, Ferdinand, speaking on TNT Sports as a pundit for the game, suggested the early withdrawal will help Yamal in the long-term. 

The 16-year-old was taken off in the first half when Ronald Araujo was sent off in the tie

Ferdinand acknowledged that the red card was the right call and that Xavi had to ‘sure things up defensively’

‘There’s so many goals conceded when you make a mistake and he gives the ball away,’ the former defender said. ‘Immediately we all shouted penalty and I think he was rash. 

‘He backs himself so much with his pace and his strength but you see the contact with his leg is the main contact that makes him go down. He’s saying it’s shoulder to shoulder. He goes across the defender and it changes it all and makes it impossible to get the ball.

‘The manager has got to make changes and he has sacrificed the youngest, most inexperienced player on the pitch, an attacking player, to sure things up defensively. It’s understandable, not nice for a young player, but it is part of his leaning curve.’

Barca boss Xavi was also sent off in the game alongside a member of his backroom staff

Peter Crouch bemoaned the impact the red card had on the game from a defensive point of view for Barca

Peter Crouch, meanwhile, bemoaned the loss of both of Araujo and Yamal, with the game crumbling before Barca’s eyes.

‘It’s a huge loss because he [Araujo] was sometimes switching to deal with Mbappe,’ he said. ‘He was going right in, just to follow Mbappe. It is going to be a big miss for them.

‘You will miss him [Yamal] defensively because he can go past people and he is a good carrier of the ball. The sending off is a huge impact.’