Is playing Barcelona in El Clasico really something ordinary? Well, Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho thinks it is. But isn’t he just trying to ease the pressure on Los Blancos?
The hunt for La Liga title has shaped into a two-horse race with Real Madrid currently leading the way. However, they top the table with only a point ahead of El Clasico which Barcelona are favorites to win.
Over the weekend, both teams clinched emphatic victories but it was Lionel Messi and the Blaugrana who grabbed the headlines with their record-breaking 8-0 against Almeria.
Either way, Los Blancos did what was needed to reclaim La Liga’s top spot after losing it to their bitter rivals for a while last weekend. They pursued their 100% run at the Bernabeu as they restored their 1-point lead over the Catalans.
Now as they prepare to enter match-day 13 on November 29, coach Mourinho believes that the importance of El Clasico will be just as the importance of Real Madrid’s previous and upcoming matches in La Liga.
“It’s going to be another league match. It won’t have the spice that only knock-out games (like in the Champions League) have,” Mourinho declared in a controversial statement on Monday.
“It was head or tails in matches involving Barcelona and Chelsea or Barcelona and Inter Milan. But, El Clasico will be one of 38 La Liga matches. So I think it won’t be decisive.”
Last season, however, the first and second legs of El Clasico proved to have a lot of impact on both teams’ fate in La Liga. Barcelona edged past Real Madrid at the Camp Nou like at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Eventually, the Catalans went on to carry the league title whereas Los Blancos had to cruelly suffer with no silverware despite hitting 96 good points in La Liga.
Well, El Clasico may be "just another match" as Jose Mourinho believes it is. But will the result be "just another routine result" for Real Madrid who are unbeaten this season having clinched 10 wins in 12 matches in La Liga?
Over the weekend, both teams clinched emphatic victories but it was Lionel Messi and the Blaugrana who grabbed the headlines with their record-breaking 8-0 against Almeria.
Either way, Los Blancos did what was needed to reclaim La Liga’s top spot after losing it to their bitter rivals for a while last weekend. They pursued their 100% run at the Bernabeu as they restored their 1-point lead over the Catalans.
Now as they prepare to enter match-day 13 on November 29, coach Mourinho believes that the importance of El Clasico will be just as the importance of Real Madrid’s previous and upcoming matches in La Liga.
“It’s going to be another league match. It won’t have the spice that only knock-out games (like in the Champions League) have,” Mourinho declared in a controversial statement on Monday.
“It was head or tails in matches involving Barcelona and Chelsea or Barcelona and Inter Milan. But, El Clasico will be one of 38 La Liga matches. So I think it won’t be decisive.”
Last season, however, the first and second legs of El Clasico proved to have a lot of impact on both teams’ fate in La Liga. Barcelona edged past Real Madrid at the Camp Nou like at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Eventually, the Catalans went on to carry the league title whereas Los Blancos had to cruelly suffer with no silverware despite hitting 96 good points in La Liga.
Well, El Clasico may be "just another match" as Jose Mourinho believes it is. But will the result be "just another routine result" for Real Madrid who are unbeaten this season having clinched 10 wins in 12 matches in La Liga?
