Mourinho's Real travel to Camp Nou as Barcelona chase 10th straight La Liga win
Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid will visit Camp Nou on Sunday as Barcelona bid for a 10th consecutive La Liga victory to start the season, a run that would eclipse Real's 1968-69 mark. Mourinho has warned that the fixture is unique and recent form will count for little in El Clasico.
Barcelona arrive at Camp Nou having suffered a 4-2 defeat by Paris St-Germain in the Champions League midweek, while Real come off two 4-1 wins against Sevilla and RB Leipzig. The game features six of this year's 30 Ballon d'Or nominees: Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi, Rodri and Lamine Yamal, and Real Madrid trio Marc Cucurella, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.
Mourinho emphasised the special nature of the fixture, saying: "We are in a good dynamic, we play well, we score goals, but the Clasico is different. What we have done before has no influence," and added: "There are other important matches in the world, but this is the only Clasico, the world stops."
On his squad's adaptation to his methods, Mourinho noted: "We've been together for three months if you take away pre-season and international breaks," and warned that players were still adjusting: "The players are still getting to know me and the way I do things." He also rejected wholesale tactical changes to contain Barcelona's youngsters, saying: "He's a great player, we respect great players. We aren't going to completely change things. We won't forget the way we do things," and stated plainly: "Madrid with Mourinho wins trophies."
Several individual match-ups were highlighted ahead of the game, with Cucurella potentially tracking Lamine Yamal down Barcelona's right and centre-back Cubarsi set to face Mbappe again after Spain's 2-0 win over France in the World Cup semi-final. Mbappe has been prolific for Real this season, scoring 12 goals in 12 appearances, while Vinicius Jr will be unavailable for the visitors because of suspension.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said his squad had recovered and were prepared for the challenge, declaring: "The players have recovered and they're ready for this game," and adding: "El Clasico is different, the best match our sport has to offer. Everyone will be watching. You can only win three points, but it's so much more than that." Flick praised Real's attacking quality and cautioned against complacency: "I expect a very confident team," and said: "Real Madrid is a great club with great players and a great coach. They have players with great quality in the final third. They've shown that in recent matches. We have to be careful and prepared."
Flick underlined defensive organisation as key to containing Real's forwards, saying: "Our positioning is key, both with and without the ball," and: "Without the ball, we need to maintain the right distances between players and stay compact, which is especially important when playing with such a high defensive line." He also highlighted set-pieces as a specific concern: "We know Real Madrid's strengths, and they're among the best at set-pieces," and warned: "We have to defend better than we did in Paris."
Statistically, Barcelona have scored 50 goals in 12 games this season and conceded 15, figures that underline their attacking firepower and defensive vulnerability. Tactical analysis in the build-up has focused on Real disrupting Barcelona's possession through a compact defensive shape, disciplined pressing and quick transitions, with the visiting side urged to remain organised, win second balls in midfield and take chances when they arise.
A Barcelona victory would not only set the new consecutive-win record but, according to the BBC report, would open up a nine-point lead over Real Madrid; for Mourinho's third-placed side — currently six points behind the leaders — stopping the run would cut the gap to three points and provide a psychological boost. The outcome at Camp Nou on Sunday will therefore have immediate implications for the La Liga title race.
