Madrid are third in LaLiga, six points behind Barcelona, and have kept only two clean sheets in 12 games.
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho says his side go into Sunday's Clásico at Camp Nou with 24 hours less rest than Barcelona. Madrid won 4-1 over RB Leipzig in Wednesday's Champions League, while Barcelona had lost 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain the day before.
Asked whether the midweek win would lift his side's confidence, Mourinho told Movistar: "For the Clásico, there's no room for complacency. It's just another league match, yet it's unlike any other."
Mourinho was keen to point out the schedule gap himself:
"At the moment, we're missing out on 24 hours of rest, but we're moving forward."
Madrid are third in LaLiga, six points behind leaders Barcelona, and have kept only two clean sheets in their opening 12 games in all competitions. Mourinho was satisfied with the Leipzig performance, but in his post-game news conference he said "No, nothing is where I want it to be," adding that "there are things we are doing better today than before." He has been at the club for over a hundred days.
Mourinho said the goals conceded against Leipzig and against Sevilla in last Sunday's 4-1 win had come "from being overconfident and from someone thinking the game was already won." He did not name the player involved. Video replay, however, showed defender Dean Huijsen was out of position for both goals Madrid conceded in their last two games.
Vinícius Júnior is suspended for Sunday's match, so the focus falls on Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. The Guardian notes that Yamal has 20 goal contributions in 12 games for Barcelona this season, and Mbappé has 15 in the same number for Madrid. It also says a Barcelona win would move them nine points clear at the top of LaLiga.
The Clásico is at Camp Nou on Sunday, 25 October.
No comments yet