Mourinho Raises the Stakes Before El Clásico: Real Madrid Get Less Rest Than Barcelona

Mourinho warns of Real Madrid's disadvantage before El Clásico

José Mourinho, head coach of Real Madrid, stressed that his side will have 24 hours less rest than Barcelona ahead of El Clásico, following a 4-1 victory over Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabéu on Matchday 3 of the Champions League.

Speaking to Movistar+, the Portuguese manager acknowledged the significance of the upcoming encounter and pointed to the difference in recovery time between the two teams.

"There's no such thing as confidence for El Clásico. It's another league match, but saying it's just like any other game would be a lie, completely detached from reality. We're losing 24 hours of rest, but we'll be there," Mourinho said.

The difference in rest compared with Barcelona was one of the concerns Mourinho highlighted ahead of the meeting between the two rivals.

Bernardo Silva earns Mourinho's praise against Leipzig

The Portuguese coach praised Bernardo Silva, who opened the scoring against RB Leipzig, and highlighted his performance after a lengthy spell without starting a match.

"Bernardo is one of those players who hadn't started a match for a long time. He also deserves to play on merit, and he had a great game. We played well in the first half, but at a slow tempo. When we increased the intensity, it was a different story," he explained.

Mourinho was also pleased with the team's performance down the right flank, although he expressed frustration at the goal conceded by Thibaut Courtois.

"They played well. That right side worked very well again, with good solutions. The only thing I didn't like was the goal Courtois didn't deserve to concede, because someone who makes the two saves he made doesn't deserve to have his teammates spoil his night," he said.

Why did Mourinho substitute Vinícius ahead of El Clásico?

Mourinho clarified that his decision to replace Vinícius with Diomande was not intended to preserve the Brazilian for the upcoming clash against Barcelona.

"The intention behind bringing him on wasn't about El Clásico. A fresh Diomande coming on with 20 or 30 minutes left is difficult to deal with because he has tremendous pace," Mourinho explained.

The manager also defended Vinícius' performance and emphasized his tactical contribution.

"Vini had a good game. Tactically, from his coach's perspective, it was a good game. Vini tracked back very well. He could have scored a magnificent goal, but the goalkeeper made a great save. I don't want to say he's sad, because that's a feeling only he can explain, but his coach is happy."

Real Madrid have nine Champions League points, but Mourinho wants more

Following the victory over Leipzig, Mourinho assessed Real Madrid's position in the UEFA Champions League, where the team has collected nine points.

"My conclusion is that we have nine points. We're very close to the playoffs, but we're still a long way from the 20 points that might be needed to qualify directly," he said.

The Portuguese coach also addressed the challenges of the upcoming schedule, with a trip to Athens followed by a match in Valencia just two days later.

"We have to keep going. Next up is Athens, in a difficult situation because two days later we play in Valencia. It's something to think about, but we'll deal with that when the time comes. For now, we have Sunday," he concluded.

Mourinho's warnings ahead of the showdown with Barcelona

1. Less rest for Real Madrid: Mourinho pointed out that his team will have 24 hours less recovery time than Barcelona before El Clásico.
2. Backing Bernardo Silva and Vinícius: The coach praised both players and clarified that the Brazilian's substitution was not part of a strategy for El Clásico.
3. Direct Champions League qualification remains some distance away: Real Madrid have nine points, but Mourinho believes 20 may be needed to avoid the playoffs.

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