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Jose Mourinho Ruthlessly Breaks Down How to Beat Barcelona

The Real Madrid manager’s late substitution was key to victory.
Andrew Headspeath|
José Mourinho kept up a strong Clásico record.
José Mourinho kept up a strong Clásico record. | Alex Caparros/Getty Images

José Mourinho revealed that telling substitute Eduardo Camavinga to “attack the space” was key to Real Madrid’s surprise victory over Barcelona on Sunday.

Madrid sensationally ended their rivals’ record-equaling nine-match winning run with a 2–1 victory against the odds, as Kylian Mbappé struck twice.

Far removed from some of Madrid’s shakier performances this season, Mourinho’s men were well-organized at Camp Nou, limiting the defending champions’ chances while carving out their own.

Los Blancos were fortunate with Mbappé’s first goal—a bizarre ricochet off of the striker from point-blank range after Gerard Martín’s failed clearance. But the winner came as the result of a superb counter attack less than five minutes from time, with Camavinga surging forward from midfield before deftly beating Pau Cubarsí and setting up Mbappé for a tap in.

It was a goal of quality for the visitors—who are now just three points back from the top of the standings—and one that, apparently, came as a result of Mourinho’s planning.

Mourinho Pinpoints Barcelona Weakness

Eduardo Camavinga, Joan García, Pau Cubarsí.
Eduardo Camavinga’s surging run swung the game late on. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Speaking in his postgame press conference the manager—who has not lost in any of his last six Clásicos—identified how he instructed 80th-minute midfield sub Camavinga to help break lines, rather than relying on solely his forwards to cause problems in attack.

“I told Camavinga, go and attack the space,” Mourinho explained. “It is difficult for any attacker to attack space against Barcelona; the only solution is to do it with your midfielders.

“When your attackers do it, Barca's defense is prepared and coached for that, and your forwards either end up caught offside or the pass gets intercepted by Joan Garcia. The solution is to use midfielders like Camavinga and [Jude] Bellingham to break that line, and it worked.”

Mbappé, whose double takes him to exactly 100 Real Madrid goals, was the Clásico’s main character once again, though Mourinho was quick to highlight some of Los Blancos more unsung heroes from the night.

“[Andriy] Lunin was unbelievable, yet no one asked me about him ... I'm sure you would have if we had lost,” he said.

“Let me speak about Fede Valverde. He continued playing despite being injured for over 40 minutes,” Mourinho added of his captain, who began the game at right back. “He refused to come off, fought through the pain, and gave everything he had for the team.”

Mourinho Figures Out His Team

Sunday at Camp Nou might have been the first time since returning to the job he left 13 years ago that Mourinho really felt confident with his Real Madrid team.

In his first months on the job, there have been nervy performances and missteps, but the Clásico victory was vintage Mourinho. His team—lambasted for ranking bottom of La Liga’s running charts earlier this season—snapped into tackles, cut out space, nullified the threats and countered efficiently against their biggest rivals.

The manager also seems to now have a better handle on how to balance the talent in his starting XI. With Vinícius Júnior suspended and badly out of form anyway, Yan Diomande and Arda Güler make more sense as the wingers, while Bernardo Silva’s inclusion in the engine room gives Madrid more passing control, without losing bite.

Valverde kicked up a fuss about playing right back under Xabi Alonso just last season, but appeared willing to put his body on the line in defense for Mourinho and gave Los Blancos a solidity and energy that suits the style of play more than Trent Alexander-Arnold or Denzel Dumfries.

Though it is just one result, there is now real optimism that Madrid can use this result as a launchpad for a serious title charge after two years in the doldrums.

As Mourinho himself put it: “Real Madrid do not play just to win at Camp Nou. Real Madrid play to win La Liga. This must be the mentality. We need to continue like this and not get carried away after this win.”

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Andrew Headspeath
ANDREW HEADSPEATH

Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer lured him to Spain over a decade ago where he lives with his wife, son and two untrainable dogs. A player of unspeakably limited talents and only one fully functional knee, he has more than a decade's experience in a wide variety of editorial roles within sports media, from match reporting to in-depth feature writing and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—of course—La Liga.

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