Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has revealed his stance on drawing up a special plan to stop Lamine Yamal in El Clásico, affirming that respecting the Barcelona star will not push him to change his team’s identity or tactical organization.
The Portuguese coach spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s encounter at the Spotify Camp Nou, where he addressed the opponent’s threat, responded to Fermín López’s comments, and revisited the controversy surrounding the match referee appointment.
Regarding Yamal and Barcelona’s players, Mourinho said: “They are all very good players, just like ours. Whether at Real Madrid or Barcelona, I don’t find a player who isn’t very good. He is a fantastic player, and great players deserve respect.”
He added: “Respecting a player is one thing, and changing plans, structures, and abandoning our identity is another,” explaining that he will not reshape his team specifically to counter Yamal, or any other opponent possessing great quality.
On refereeing, he stated: “The name of the referee never bothers me. What bothers me is when rules are broken,” clarifying that internal information he holds does not indicate any rules have been broken so far, despite names of referees circulating before the official announcement.
Regarding the appointment leaks, he continued: “Three weeks ago a name appeared, and now another name has appeared,” pointing out that no one inside Real Madrid has officially informed him of the referee’s identity, and wishing success to whoever manages the match.
Responding to Fermín, who expressed annoyance over Real Madrid’s continuous talk about referees, the Portuguese said: “We are also fed up with other things, but they keep happening,” adding a fresh retort to the pre-match verbal sparring.
Mourinho refused to disclose details of his plan or Barcelona’s weakness, answering a journalist who asked about the latter: “You are smart, but I’m not stupid.” Meanwhile, when faced with a question about whether El Clásico is a test of his ability to win trophies, he asserted: “Real Madrid with Mourinho wins titles.”
Real Madrid enters the match trailing Barcelona by six points, having defeated RB Leipzig 4-1 in Europe, contrasted with their rival’s loss against Paris Saint-Germain. However, Mourinho downplayed the impact of both results on El Clásico, emphasizing that his project is still under construction and refusing to compare it to a team working together for years.
