Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images
Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid stare at a massive week ahead, with a big UEFA Champions League game midweek and El Clasico scheduled for the weekend.
Los Blancos, in that sense, have found momentum at the best possible time as they played one of their best games of the season against Sevilla, and now believe they can take down Barcelona.
That does, however, come with the natural sense of caution that Barcelona’s run of form brings. Given how the Catalans are unbeaten in La Liga heading into the Clasico, Mourinho is making big plans to ensure they drop points on the night.
Attacking dynamisation
As reported by Defensa Central, Mourinho wants his attacking department to be unpredictable and versatile against Barcelona such that Hansi Flick’s men are left stunned at what has hit them.
Yan Diomande of Real Madrid
Mourinho believes in his attack. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Despite Vinicius Jr. being unavailable, the manager has strong options in Kylian Mbappe, Yan Diomande, Jude Bellingham and Endrick – all of whom started against Sevilla and are expected to continue against Barcelona.
The manager wants each player to move differently in the attack to bamboozle Barcelona’s high line so that his side can capitalize and strike on the counter.
Diomande, in that sense, is seen as a crucial weapon down the left-flank, and the manager sees that Barcelona will place a special emphasis on defending against the new signing.
The idea is that the Catalans will be forced to double-mark the player, thereby opening up central spaces.
If Diomande can attract attention on himself, the spaces that open up between the centre-backs will make Kylian Mbappe all the more lethal.
Added to that, the manager has asked Jude Bellingham to step up from between the lines and make runs into the box to create jeopardy.
Endrick is the wild card
Endrick, Real Madrid player
Endrick may start against Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The Spanish outlet also claims that the manager sees Endrick as a wild card player who can end up making a massive difference, especially given his versatility.
If the Brazilian youngster starts, he will feature on the right wing, where he usually does not play. However, he has the ability to play as a winger and also to cut in and threaten as a central presence – something the manager is looking to capitalize on.
Endrick’s presence and ability to attract defenders out wide, alongside Diomande’s threat on the left, should create spaces in the centre that Real Madrid hope can make the game for them.
Mourinho’s entire idea for the Clasico revolves around counter-attacks, for the manager sees that to be the best way in which his side can hurt the league leaders. Arda Guler and Dean Huijsen are also seen as crucial pillars in the dynamics in that sense.
Real Madrid TV takes shot at Barcelona players ahead of El Clasico: ‘They are the referees’
Real Madrid flag
Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
The first El Clasico of the season is just around the corner, with Real Madrid set to lock horns with Barcelona at Camp Nou on October 25.
It promises to be a feisty encounter as the relationship between the two clubs have steadily deteriorated ever since the fall of the European Super League project.
Days ahead of this encounter, Real Madrid have now escalated the conflict with a fresh video on RMTV.
Real Madrid take shots at Barcelona
Indeed, Real Madrid’s official channel has now highlighted several refereeing flaws in the club’s recent win over Real Betis, through its latest program, reports Mundo Deportivo.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president
The animosity between Barcelona and Real Madrid continues. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The segment, which precedes the press conferences of Jose Mourinho and Ibrahima Konate, took aim at what it perceives as preferential treatment for Barça’s players when dealing with officials.
“We’re on the verge of the best competition in the world, the Champions League. There’s no dirty tricks or foul play here. And I’m sure the Leipzig players aren’t going to ask the referee to review VAR like the Barça players did in Seville,” a program began.
The reference was to the incident in which Pedri and Lamine Yamal protested for a handball in the build-up to Lo Celso’s goal, prompting referee De Burgos Bengoetxea to remark: “Check the handball, that’s what they’re asking me to do.”
Warning ahead of the Clasico
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Are the odds stacked against Mourinho’s men. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
From there, the channel escalated its rhetoric, framing the upcoming Clasico as a contest stacked against Los Blancos.
“Now the Barça players are the new referees and they demand VAR on demand. When our players approach the referee, they’re kept away, but the Barça players have free rein,” the program stated.
The show then delivered the most provocative line of all, suggesting Madrid would be up against far more than 11 opponents at the Camp Nou.
“That’s why next Sunday we’ll be facing 17 referees: those on the pitch, those in VAR, and the 11 Barcelona players,” the show concluded.
This will not go down well with Barcelona, though the Catalans are, at the moment, focused on their upcoming battle against Paris Saint-Germain, whereas Real Madrid are slated to take on RB Leipzig tomorrow night, in the UEFA Champions League.