Lamine Yamal Reveals the Two La Liga Teams He Loves Watching Most

Lamine Yamal has revealed two unexpected La Liga teams he enjoys watching whenever Barcelona are not involved.

The Barcelona superstar is currently among the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or after another extraordinary season. During a recent conversation with Jorge Valdano, Yamal discussed the individual award before being asked about his favourite teams in Spain’s top flight.

His answer was certainly not what many fans expected.

Yamal Picks Betis and Villarreal

Rather than naming Barcelona’s traditional rivals, Yamal singled out Real Betis and Villarreal as the two La Liga teams he most enjoys watching.

“From the Spanish league, Betis and Villarreal are the ones I like to see the most.”

Yamal did not provide a detailed explanation for his choices, although he did describe Villarreal as an enjoyable team to play against.

His comments are particularly interesting given his own record against both clubs.

Impressive Numbers Against Betis

Yamal has faced Real Betis seven times during his career and has yet to suffer a defeat against them.

The Barcelona winger has won five of those encounters, scoring twice and providing four assists.

That means he has directly contributed to six goals in seven games against Los Verdiblancos.

Yamal Has Also Enjoyed Facing Villarreal

His record against Villarreal has been slightly more mixed in terms of results.

Yamal has played against the Yellow Submarine six times, recording four victories and two defeats.

However, his individual numbers are impressive. He has scored five goals and provided two assists across those six appearances.

Those statistics perhaps offer some context for why Villarreal have become one of the teams Yamal enjoys watching and playing against.

Ballon d’Or Remains the Main Goal

Yamal will have plenty of opportunities to add to those numbers when Barcelona face both clubs during the 2026/27 campaign.

For now, however, his attention is firmly on the biggest individual prize in football.

The 19-year-old is chasing his first Ballon d’Or after finishing second in last year’s voting, and he has already received public backing from figures within Barcelona.

His performances have put him firmly in the conversation once again—and Yamal will now hope his form can carry him all the way to the top.