Aston Villa v Manchester City buildup, Premier League news, WSL, and more - matchday live
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho employs psychological tactics ahead of the El Clásico, downplaying his team's readiness while acknowledging the strength of Barcelona. He also addresses the talent of young star Lamine Yamal, emphasizing respect without compromising his tactical structure.
Why it matters
Mind games are a staple of high-profile football management, influencing media narratives and team morale before major matches.
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho is up to his old mind game tricks ahead of Sunday’s clash with Barcelona. Can poor little Madrid pull off a shock?
“I think the people that thought a week ago Barca would thrash us will keep thinking the same thing. I don’t think just for the Paris game, or Madrid’s [4-1 win against] Leipzig, they will change their way of thinking,” said Mourinho, keen to point out he’s been in charge for only a few months whereas that Hansi Flick fella has been at Barca since 2024.
“People look at us like a finished product, but finished products in football are difficult because they are never finished... but they look at us like we’re in an advanced phase of the process,” continued Mourinho, really warming to the task now.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in