Mourinho targets schedule ahead of Camp Nou trip
Mourinho was quick to voice his frustrations regarding the fixture calendar following his team’s Champions League triumph on Wednesday night. While Los Blancos secured a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, their upcoming opponents, Barcelona, played their European fixture against Paris Saint-Germain a full day earlier. This discrepancy means the league leaders will benefit from an extra 24 hours of recovery before the two giants meet at the Camp Nou this weekend.
When questioned if the dominant midweek performance provided a necessary morale boost for the squad, Mourinho remained focused on the logistical challenges. "For the Clasico, there's no room for complacency. It's just another league match, yet it's unlike any other. We're pushing ahead. At the moment, we're missing out on 24 hours of rest, but we're moving forward," the former Chelsea boss said, as quoted by ESPN.
Defensive concerns plague Los Blancos
Getty ImagesDespite the four goals scored against Leipzig, the Madrid manager was far from satisfied with the overall display. Defensive solidity remains a significant issue for the reigning European champions, who have managed to keep just two clean sheets in their first 12 fixtures across all competitions this season. Mourinho was vocal about his desire for perfection, noting that the team is still a work in progress despite recent improvements in their attacking play.
"No, nothing is where I want it to be. I always want to improve. I've been here for over a hundred days. Obviously, we are not where I want, but there are things we are doing better today than before... We are improving," the manager explained.
Courtois heroics and lapses in concentration
The 61-year-old was particularly annoyed by the goal conceded against the German side, pointing out that Thibaut Courtois had to produce exceptional saves just to keep Madrid in a winning position. Mourinho highlighted the psychological aspect of defending, comparing the satisfaction a goalkeeper feels for a clean sheet to the joy a striker experiences when finding the back of the net.
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"The goal we conceded I didn't like because I put myself in the goalkeeper's position. Courtois made two incredible saves that kept the game open for us to win. Just as a striker loves scoring goals, a goalkeeper loves going home with a clean sheet," he added.
Focusing on the battle for La Liga supremacy
Getty ImagesMourinho specifically linked the goal conceded on Wednesday to a similar lapse seen during the 4-1 victory over Sevilla last Sunday. He attributed these moments to overconfidence, where players allegedly believed the contest was over before the final whistle. "The goal we conceded today and the one against Sevilla came from being overconfident and from someone thinking the game was already won. I don't like that," he concluded.
While the manager refrained from naming individuals, observers noted that defender Dean Huijsen appeared to be out of position during both incidents. With the Clasico looming, Madrid can ill afford such errors against a Barcelona side that has won all nine of their opening league games.