Mourinho warns Real Madrid: El Clasico win is only a step towards LaLiga

Jose Mourinho has told Real Madrid to keep their focus after Kylian Mbappe scored twice, including an 87th-minute winner, to secure a 2-1 victory over Barcelona in Sunday’s El Clasico.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the 41st minute before striking again late on to give Madrid all three points in a fiercely contested match.

The result was Real Madrid’s fifth consecutive win in all competitions, but Mourinho stressed that defeating Barcelona was only part of the club’s wider ambition to win LaLiga.

Real Madrid moved up to third in the table with 24 points from 10 matches. They remain three points behind leaders Barcelona, who have 27, while Atletico Madrid are second with 25 points.

Mourinho praised his side’s display but warned that the victory would have limited value if the team failed to maintain the same standards in the matches ahead.

The Portuguese coach said his players must look beyond the importance of beating their biggest rivals and concentrate on building the consistency required to challenge for the title. With only three points separating the top three, he believes the race remains open and that the coming weeks will be decisive.

He described the match as a high-quality contest and commended Real Madrid’s organisation, concentration and courage against a strong Barcelona side. Mourinho was also pleased with the way his players dealt with the demands of the game before producing the late goal that settled it.

Lunin replaces Courtois

Real Madrid had to change their goalkeeper after Thibaut Courtois was ruled out with flu.

Andriy Lunin replaced the Belgium international at Camp Nou, and Mourinho said he trusted the Ukrainian to cope with the pressure of such a high-profile fixture. His instruction before kick-off was straightforward: Lunin had to be ready to play when called upon.

Mourinho also highlighted the importance of squad depth, with players required to contribute when regular starters are unavailable.

Captain Federico Valverde demonstrated that commitment after suffering an injury early in the match. Mourinho said the midfielder continued for more than 40 minutes despite the problem because he wanted to help his team-mates finish the job against Barcelona.

Mbappe reaches 100 Madrid goals

Mbappe’s two goals marked his 100th Real Madrid goal against FC Barcelona in El Clasico.

The 27-year-old joined the Spanish club on a free transfer in June 2024 after establishing himself as one of Europe’s leading forwards. He scored 256 goals in 308 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain and 27 goals in 60 appearances for AS Monaco before beginning his Madrid career.

The forward now wants to add major trophies to his individual achievements, with collective success remaining the priority as Real Madrid seek to reclaim the LaLiga title.

His double came one day before the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, at which he is among the leading contenders.

Barcelona remain top of the 2026-27 LaLiga standings on 27 points, with Atletico Madrid second on 25 and Real Madrid third on 24. The win narrowed Madrid’s deficit, but Mourinho’s message was that beating Barcelona matters less than ultimately winning LaLiga.