“Other matters wear on us and continue to happen,” Real Madrid manager José Mourinho fired back ahead of Sunday’s El Clásico at the Camp Nou. ¿Por qué me preguntáis por el rival? he complained, as the Portuguese coach declined to answer questions about the opposition, Hansi Flick, or tactical game plans during a press conference where he insisted, No te voy a responder a esa pregunta de planes para partido, de quién va a jugar, cómo nos vamos a estructurar… Son preguntas que no voy a responder. Eres listo, pero yo no soy estúpido.

Referee Controversy Overshadows Camp Nou Clash

The clash arrives as tensions rise over referee assignments and historical controversies involving the Spanish refereeing committee. Inside the club, it is considered that the Negreira Case could have influenced the refereeing system for years, and despite the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees no longer holding any position in the body, white club officials continue expressing discontent over certain refereeing decisions.

Asked about this, Mourinho remarked, Me pilla un poco de sorpresa eso…

Mourinho expressed frustration over the premature leaking of referee identities before official announcements are made public by governing bodies. He emphasized that while he assumes officials perform with integrity, protocol regarding confidentiality is routinely violated. Nunca me molesta el nombre del árbitro. Parto del principio de que el árbitro es bueno. Nadie me ha dicho todavía ‘el árbitro es este’, he stated, adding that names circulated three weeks prior and subsequently changed despite internal information suggesting uncertainty.

Fermín López Sparks War of Words

Mourinho addressed comments made by Barcelona midfielder Fermín López regarding ongoing discourse surrounding referees in Spanish football.

López had stated in interviews that the continuous focus on officials from the capital club was becoming tiring. Specifically, the Barcelona centring player told RTVE that ya cansa el discurso del Real Madrid contra los árbitros. Este partido puede ganarlo cualquiera y en el Barça estamos enfocados en hacer nuestro juego. No es justo entrar en ese discurso cuando las cosas nos van bien. Mourinho countered with a brief riposte: ¿Qué puedo decir? A nosotros nos cansan otras cosas y siguen pasando…

Silence on Tactics and Lamine Yamal

Maintaining his characteristic guarded stance with the media, the Portuguese coach insisted he would not reveal his starting lineup or game plan, noting also that he saw no readouts from Barcelona’s 4-2 defeat in Paris or his own hypothetical outcomes that would alter team morale.

Regarding Yamal, Mourinho acknowledged the player’s elite quality, noting that Lamine es un gran jugador y a los grandes jugadores se les respeta, but maintained that Real Madrid will not alter its core tactical identity or structural approach to accommodate a single opponent, stating that una cosa es respetar y otra es cambiar planes, estructuras, o olvidar tu propia esencia. Eso no lo haremos ni con él ni con otro rival.

An Unfinished Project in Madrid

Addressing comparisons between his current squad and established rivals, Mourinho described the Madrid side as an unfinished project.

He noted that the team has only worked together for a brief period following a disjointed pre-season and various international breaks, making direct performance comparisons unfair at this stage of the campaign. Se nos mira como un producto acabado, pero hemos trabajado dos meses. Es un producto inicial donde todavía estamos en una fase en la que su entrenador está conociendo y definiendo caminos. Los jugadores están conociendo el modo de trabajar y liderar de su entrenador. Comparar con equipos que llevan más tiempo no me parece justo, he reflected.

The manager maintained confidence in his players’ trajectory, asking for credit for his players and reiterating that his primary focus remains on collective improvement as the club prepares for one of world football’s most scrutinized fixtures, noting that los partidos los ganan los jugadores y los pierden los entrenadores and asserting with characteristic ambition: No es la prueba del algodón. El Madrid con Mourinho gana títulos.