LaLiga2 hours ago2 minute read

Mourinho Rejects Barcelona Talk Before Real Madrid Derby Clash

Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid cannot be compared to high-scoring Barcelona as his side prepares for Sunday's derby against Atletico Madrid.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

No Comparisons for Real Madrid

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is refusing to compare his team to rivals Barcelona. Barcelona have started the season on fire, scoring 28 goals in just six league games. This includes a massive 7-2 win against Racing Santander.

Barcelona currently sit three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table. However, Mourinho is not worried about their rivals' scoring form. He insists that Real Madrid is unique.

"Historically, culturally, Real Madrid can't be compared to anyone," Mourinho said. He added that he wants to focus on his own team's problems and areas that need improvement.

A Marathon Season

Real Madrid are preparing to visit Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. Real Madrid have suffered one defeat this season, a 1-0 loss at Real Betis. They have also had to fight hard for their points.

Twice this season, they needed late goals to win. Most recently, Carlos Espí scored a 91st minute winner against Elche. In that game, Real Madrid threw away a 2-0 lead before winning late on.

Mourinho admitted his team has struggled to play well for a full 90 minutes. Still, he feels his squad has the mental strength to succeed. He described the league season as a marathon rather than a straight, easy road. He also noted that the team is still in a process of evolution, having only been together for a few months.

Respect for Simeone

Sunday's match puts Mourinho up against Diego Simeone again. Simeone has been in charge of Atletico Madrid since Mourinho's first spell at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho spoke warmly about his rival coach. He admitted that managers sometimes say silly things during their careers due to the heat of the moment or strategy.

He made it clear that there is deep mutual respect between the two. "We're rivals again, but we're war comrades," Mourinho said.

What it means for the next game

Sevilla vs Barcelona (LaLiga, Sat, 19 Sep): Sevilla win 10%, draw 16%, Barcelona win 74%; expected goals 0.91 to 2.65. Our safest pick: Over 2.5 goals.

Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid (LaLiga, Sun, 20 Sep): Atlético Madrid win 28%, draw 26%, Real Madrid win 46%; expected goals 1.19 to 1.58. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.