Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has laid bare the pressure that comes with competing in Spain, insisting the country's biggest clubs must keep winning in a way he never saw in France or Germany. His words land with Barcelona flying out of the blocks and his own side reeling from a shock defeat to Real Sociedad.
Mourinho, in remarks picked up by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, said: "The champions don't necessarily have to win every weekend in the French league or the German league, they know they will be champions, and they have peace of mind." The Portuguese was pointing to the gulf in quality in some leagues, which he believes hands the top clubs room to slip up without denting their title hopes.
"There is pressure here in the Spanish league that does not exist in other leagues. Here it is difficult," he added. In Spain, he reckons, every single match carries double the weight for anyone chasing the crown.
Barcelona have made it look easy. Four straight wins, 17 goals scored, and a swagger up front that has already put the rest of the division on notice. The pressure to keep pace is mounting.
Real Madrid, by contrast, have stumbled. Beaten by Real Sociedad in an early shock, they dropped three costly points in the race for top spot. Now Mourinho's men need a swift response before the gap to Barcelona stretches any further.
All of which gives his comments a sharp edge. Talk of the "different pressure" in La Liga mirrors exactly what is unfolding: any slip from Madrid or Barca becomes a crisis, and every victory ratchets the title expectations higher.