Mourinho avoids media duties

José Mourinho avoided media duties after Real Madrid’s 1-0 win against Villarreal because he did not want to risk being banned for Sunday’s clásico against Barcelona.

Mourinho’s return to Camp Nou

José Mourinho returns to the stadium he first arrived at 30 transformative years ago as Bobby Robson’s talented young translator.

Mourinho’s clásico history

Mourinho once declared 'today, tomorrow and always, Barcelona in my heart' and claimed he would only ever go to Real Madrid to destroy them.

“today, tomorrow and always, barcelona in my heart”

Madrid’s Champions League record

Madrid won the 10th title after 12 years of waiting, followed by 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th in 10 years without Barcelona.

Barcelona’s dominance

Barcelona won the league with two weeks to spare, completed a domestic treble and defeated Madrid four times scoring 16 goals.

Mourinho’s strategy

Mourinho prioritized the clásico over PSG, leaving out Rodri and withdrawing Pedri and Raphinha early to keep them fresh.

Madrid’s recent form

Madrid scored four goals against Sevilla and four more against Leipzig, with Vinícius Júnior scoring a goal after being sent off.

Barcelona’s form

Barcelona won 11 matches in a row, averaging more than four goals per game, with Lamine Yamal leading the team.

Mourinho’s leadership

Mourinho has been with Real Madrid for 105 days, saying he needs to get to know Barcelona before the clásico.

The clásico stakes

Real Madrid faces a six-point deficit to Barcelona in the league, with the clásico potentially deciding the title.

Mourinho’s tactics

Mourinho adjusted his team by playing Arda Güler, Yan Diomande and Fede Valverde to strengthen the defense.

The Negreira case

Barcelona paid €7m to José María Enríquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018, with Madrid claiming corruption.

“€7m”