Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has described his team as a work in progress ahead of Sunday’s El Clásico against Barcelona, saying the players are still adapting to his methods and leadership after a relatively short period of working together.
Mourinho declares ‘Madrid with Mourinho wins titles’ ahead of Barcelona clash, expressing confidence in his team while dismissing suggestions that the encounter will determine whether his side can challenge for major trophies.
“No. Madrid with Mourinho wins titles,” he said when asked whether the match would serve as a test of his ability to win titles, according to a report published on Real Madrid’s official website on Saturday.
The Portuguese, who addressed journalists at the Ciudad Real Madrid training complex ahead of the La Liga Matchday 10 fixture at Camp Nou, said it was unfair to compare his team’s current development with that of a side that had been together for two or three years.
“We’ve been working for three months. If you take away the preseason, where players were arriving every week, and the nearly three weeks they spent with their national teams, we’ve been working for a month and a half or two months,” Mourinho said.
“Far from being a finished product, we are a product in progress. We’re in a phase where the coach is getting to know, analyzing, and defining paths. The players are also getting to know their coach, his way of acting and leading.
“Comparing a team in this state with a team that has been together for two or three years doesn’t seem fair to me. Then, when we play less well or when the result is negative, criticism is part of it.”
Mourinho also said the teams’ recent results would have little bearing on Sunday’s encounter, despite Real Madrid’s recent run of victories and Barcelona’s defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
“We are in a good dynamic. We win matches, play well, score goals… But in Clasicos, it has no influence; they are different matches. In my experience with Clasicos and derbies, what happens before doesn’t have much significance,” he said.
The Madrid manager said Barcelona’s defeat would not necessarily affect the team’s confidence going into the game.
“I said before that the moment tells me nothing or very little in these matches. If instead of winning 4-1 against Leipzig, we had lost 4-1, my mindset going into this match wouldn’t be different.
“I don’t think Barcelona, because they lost one match, will change their mindset and confidence going into this match.”
Mourinho also addressed the attention given to Barcelona compared with the criticism directed at Real Madrid, saying praise for their opponents would not affect his approach.
“People who, a week ago, thought Barça could thrash us probably still think the same. I don’t think the Paris match or the Leipzig match at the Bernabéu will change their idea or way of thinking.
“Speaking well of Barcelona doesn’t affect me and has nothing to do with me. To be honest, there are moments and matches where they deserve to be spoken of highly when they do very good things,” he said.
He added that Real Madrid should not be judged as though they had already reached their final form.
“In our case, the only thing I think is that if you see us as a finished product, finished products in football are very rare because they are never truly finished.”
Global appeal
The manager also described the global appeal of the fixture as more important than the identities of the coaches in charge of the two clubs.
“Real Madrid-Barcelona means at least two Clasicos per season, sometimes more. It doesn’t matter much who the coaches are; the most important thing is the global dimension of a Clasico, which is unique.
“There are other important derbies in the world of football, but this one is unique, and usually, the football-loving world stops to watch it. Let it be a great match and may we win,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of receiving insufficient credit for his work, Mourinho said he expected his players to receive recognition when they performed well while he took responsibility when the team struggled.
“I feel that Real Madrid is like that. But I only seek to give credit to my players when they do well and accept criticism as a coach when we do less well. That’s the history, not only of Real Madrid but of practically all coaches in the world.
“Players win matches, and coaches lose them; that’s a bit of our life.”
On Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, Mourinho praised the quality of the opposition but said his team would not abandon its identity to deal with an individual player.
“They are all very good. It’s the same at Madrid. Whether at Madrid or Barcelona, I can’t find a player who isn’t very good; they are all very good. He’s a great player, and great players are respected.
“Respecting someone is one thing; changing plans, structures, and forgetting your own essence is another. We won’t do that with him or any other high-quality opponent.”
Mute on tactical approach
Mourinho declined to reveal his tactical approach for the match, saying he would not discuss his plans, selection or the way his team intended to structure its play.
“Yes, but I’m not going to answer that. It’s better to ask another question. You can ask another because, about game plans, who will play, how we’ll structure ourselves, or in which direction we’ll try to take the match, these are questions I won’t answer. I’m honest; I could sit here spinning in circles without saying anything.”
The manager also commented on questions surrounding the referee and reports about his relationship with former refereeing official José María Enríquez Negreira.
“You kind of catch me by surprise with this. The referee’s name has never bothered me. I always start from the principle that the referee is good. It never bothers me to know if the referee is A, B, or C.
“What bothers me a little is when the rules are broken, which, according to internal information, have not been broken yet. Three weeks ago, the name of one referee came out; this week, it’s another. But internally at Real Madrid, no one has told me, ‘Coach, the referee is this one.’ Whoever it is, I hope it goes well for them.”
On Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, Mourinho said: “He’s a great coach, doing an excellent job, and that’s it. I can’t say anything more.”
Real Madrid will face Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday in the 10th round of La Liga, with Mourinho seeking a victory in one of world football’s most closely watched fixtures.