Mourinho: Real Madrid win titles with me, and we won't change our identity because of Yamal

Real Madrid's José Mourinho appeared at a press conference to discuss tomorrow's clash against FC Barcelona in the 10th round of La Liga, at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The coach stated: "We are in a good dynamic, playing well and scoring goals, but the Clasico is not affected by what you have done before, it is a completely different match." When asked if he would rely on attacking to exploit defensive weaknesses, he replied with a laugh: "You are clever, but I am not stupid."

"I will not answer questions regarding my plans for the match or the players who will participate or the style of play; it is better to move on to another question. You can ask another question about the match plans, who will play, how we will organize ourselves, and in which direction we will try to lead the match... These are questions I will not respond to. If you want to ask another question, I am ready."

Regarding the controversy surrounding discussions about referees, he said: "There are other things that bore us, but they continue to happen."

Mourinho praised FC Barcelona coach Hans Flick, stating: "He is a great coach and does excellent work."

The Portuguese coach spoke about Lamine Yamal: "He is a great player, and great players deserve respect, but there is a difference between respecting the opponent and changing your plans and abandoning your identity. We will not do that, neither in front of him nor in front of any other player with exceptional quality."

The coach discussed Real Madrid's current situation, emphasizing that the team is still in a building phase. He said: "We have only been working for three months, and during the preparation period, players were joining the team in batches, then came the international break. The coach is still getting to know the players, analyzing their abilities, and determining the appropriate paths, so I don't think it's fair to compare a team at this stage with another that has been working together for years."

Regarding FC Barcelona's loss to Paris Saint-Germain by a score of 4-2, Mourinho said: "I don't think that losing one match will change the team's morale or level of confidence, and I wouldn't have been affected in the same way if we had lost to Leipzig by a score of 4-1."

Regarding the controversy over the potential referee for the Clasico, he clarified: "I am not bothered by the name of the referee, as I operate on the principle that the referee is good, but what bothers me is the breach of rules and the ongoing ambiguity regarding certain matters. Three weeks ago, a referee's name appeared, and now another name has emerged, and no one inside the club has informed me that this referee will not officiate the match."

When asked if the match against FC Barcelona is a crucial test to determine Real Madrid's ability to compete for titles this season, the coach replied: "No, Real Madrid with Mourinho wins titles."

Regarding the criticism directed at the team: "I do not ask for more trust, I give my players credit when they perform well, and I accept criticism when the coach's performance is not good. This is the nature of life for most coaches in the world."

Regarding the importance of the clásico, he said: "We play at least two matches against FC Barcelona every season, and it doesn't matter who the coach is; what matters is the global stature of this encounter. There are other big matches in the world, but this is the unique clásico, on its day the world stops to watch it."

He concluded about whether he believes in superstitions given Real Madrid's victories since he grew his beard: "Does it look bad? No, no, never! I am one of the few in the football world who do not believe in superstitions at all; I have never been that way, and I am certainly one of the few in football who do not believe in such things."

Regarding the return to Camp Nou: "We are talking about a team with very high quality here. Of course, it is not the same to play against a team of high quality compared to playing against a team of lower quality. Nothing at all... nothing happens."