José Mourinho has revealed exactly what he wants from Sunday's clash between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, the standout fixture of La Liga's 12th round.
Barcelona lead the way on 30 points, two clear of second-placed Atlético Madrid. Real Madrid sit third with 27.
Spanish newspaper Sport carried the Real Madrid manager's remarks from his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's game against Valencia.
The Portuguese didn't hold back. "Barcelona or Atlético Madrid? I hope both teams lose, but that is not possible."
He went on: "The matter is easy for me, because we know that one of them, or both, will not take all the points during this round."
Turning to his side's progress, Mourinho pointed back to a recent display rather than the result. "The best thing is not coming back in the result, but playing the way we performed against Racing Santander."
A comeback, he warned, cuts both ways. "Coming back in the result is a positive thing, but it also means there are negative aspects."
He spelled out what it takes. "A comeback requires belief in one's abilities, the cohesion of the group, friendship between the players, having a strong bench, motivating the group, and knowing the value of the shirt you wear, but it also carries a negative side."
His verdict was blunt. "We must work on this aspect, and find a greater degree of consistency when it comes to starting matches well. We still have a lot of work ahead of us."