Portuguese Jose Mourinho, manager of Spanish first football team Real Madrid, renew the date with his first Clásico since his return to the Royal Club, when he faces Barcelona, leader of La Liga, at Camp Nou stadium, on Sunday.
History of Tension
The period of the veteran Portuguese manager in Madrid was defined by his battle to end the dominance of Barcelona led by Pep Guardiola, while relations between the two giants sank to their lowest levels. Mourinho partially managed to break Barcelona's dominance by leading Real Madrid to the Spanish league title in 2012, the biggest achievement in his period between 2010 and 2013.
Sharp Encounters
Clásico matches became more exciting during that period, sometimes for unseemly reasons, as he and his staff clashed with their counterparts at Barcelona on the touchline and in the media. Mourinho's repeated battles with Guardiola and Argentine Lionel Messi, and even with Madrid symbols such as goalkeeper Iker Casillas at times, overshadowed his sporting achievements.
Statistics and Performance
Barcelona, under Flick, won six of seven matches against Real Madrid since the German's arrival, scoring 22 goals and conceding only 11. Mourinho insists it is impossible for his team to be at the level he wants after such a short period at the helm of the technical staff, saying: "More than a hundred days have passed since I arrived here. Obviously, we are not where I want to be, but there are things we do today better than before."
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
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