‘Real Madrid’s goal is not winning the Champions League’ - Jose Mourinho plays down expectations ahead of Leipzig clash

Mourinho has called for full focus from Madrid as they prepare to host Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League. The manager warned his squad against underestimating the German side despite their recent heavy defeat to Bayern Munich.

Los Blancos enter the third matchday of the European competition on the back of three consecutive victories across all competitions. Mourinho praised his team for delivering a complete performance in their latest outing, but stressed that past wins offer no guarantees on Wednesday night.

A victory against Leipzig would significantly boost Madrid's standing in the league stage. However, Mourinho remains adamant that his players must maintain their momentum and earn the three points on the pitch. Addressing the media at Real Madrid City, Mourinho rejected any suggestion that Leipzig will be an easy test for his side.

"Leipzig is not the team that lost so badly in Munich," Mourinho statedon the club's official website. "It’s the team that beat PSV, that has three points, and that wants to qualify. We’ve won three matches in a short span and played very well in the last one.

"We delivered a very complete performance, but we need to keep going. Winning three games doesn’t mean we’ll win the fourth. Tomorrow, we need to play and win."

When asked if Los Blancos are among the favorites to win the entire competition, Mourinho swiftly brushed off the suggestion as premature. He insisted that the immediate aim for the club is simply securing passage to the knockouts.

"It’s too early," Mourinho added. "Madrid, at this moment, doesn’t have the goal of winning the Champions. Right now, the goal is to qualify. Afterward, if we reach the points needed to qualify, the next objective is to avoid the playoff, which we had to play last season, and they are two matches that always come with tension and responsibility.

"They put you in a knockout situation and are games that can be avoided. But looking at the competition, I have the feeling that many points will be necessary to avoid the playoff. We’re taking it step by step. First, we need to reach the first eleven points that allow us to qualify, and then we’ll give it our all to finish among the top eight."

Mourinho’s side currently sits in ninth place in the Champions League league table. So far, they have collected six points from two matches, having secured victories over Inter Milan and AS Roma. After facing Leipzig, Los Blancos will shift their focus to a major Liga encounter: El Clasico duel against Barcelona.