Jose Mourinho is paying no heed to Barcelona’s impressive goalscoring form seven games into the season, insisting Real Madrid will only get better and better themselves.
Barcelona have made the much stronger attacking start to the La Liga campaign compared to their arch-rivals. In fact it is their best start to a season in their illustrious history, having scored 31 goals in seven matches.
Their latest performance was the 3-1 win over Sevilla on Saturday, having beaten Racing Santander 7-2 earlier in the week. They are currently six points ahead of Real Madrid having played one game more.
Mourinho’s team will be facing a tough test to bridge that gap in Sunday’s Madrid derby. The Portuguese’s side face their local rivals having already lost once in the league, a 1-0 defeat by Real Betis.
Parrott’s late winner for Betis sickens Mourinho and Madrid
But they have also needed a late intervention to snatch a win on several occasions, the latest being Carlos Espi’s 91st-minute winner at Elche this week.
Asked whether Barcelona’s superior form was a concern, Mourinho said: “Historically, culturally, Real Madrid can’t be compared to anyone. So I won’t compare us to any team. I’ll speak about us, our problems, and the things we have to improve.”
The Portuguese said Madrid remained conscious of their shortcomings but believed their ability to fight through difficult matches was an important strength.
“We’re aware of the problems we have, but we’re also very aware of the power we have, individually and collectively, of the very good things we have in our team,” Mourinho said.
“In the three games where we’ve got to the final minutes needing to score, we finished with an effort – physical and psychological – and determination.
“Apart from quality, this team has strength as a group. It’s a marathon. The league isn’t always a straight motorway, without obstacles. But we’ll be there.”
⏳ ¡Llega la hora del derbi! pic.twitter.com/vWWsFJsAkU
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 19, 2026
Madrid’s difficulty in controlling matches for the full 90 minutes has been stark in recent games. Against Elche, they had a two-goal lead before conceding twice late in the match, forcing them to chase another goal before Espi settled the contest.
Espi can be Mourinho and Real Madrid’s unexpected difference maker this season
Mourinho said the inconsistency was understandable given he has only been working with the squad for a few months.
“This is a process,” he said. “If coaches train for two, three, four, five, or ten years, and they talk about a process and evolution, imagine when we’ve been together for just a few months.”
Sunday’s derby will also bring Mourinho up against Diego Simeone, who has remained in charge at Atletico since Mourinho’s first spell as Real manager.
Mourinho played down any previous comments he had made about Simeone.
“You say so many silly things in your career,” Mourinho said. “Sometimes you’re affected by the moment and sometimes it’s strategic. But in the end, you respect, or you don’t. We’re rivals again, but we’re war comrades.”
