Intrigue returns to the El Clásico: Mourinho reveals how he defeated Barcelona

The central clash of the Spanish La Liga — another uncompromising El Clásico held at Camp Nou — ended in favor of Madrid's Real. José Mourinho's men outsmarted their arch-rivals Barcelona 2:1 away from home, taking the title race to a new level.

While this victory handed Barcelona the bitter taste of their first defeat of the current season, it allowed the "royal club" to reduce the gap with the league leader to just three points.

Mbappé's decisive brace and crucial three points

As expected, the match was held under high intensity and sharp attacks from both sides:

• First half intrigue: Towards the end of the half, the Madridians' French star Kylian Mbappé took advantage of a gap in the opponent's defense to open the score and lead his team into halftime with an advantage;

• Barcelona's response and the second blow: Although the Catalans restored balance in the second half, Mbappé stepped onto the stage once again near the end of the match. The French striker scored his second goal, completing a brace and putting the final period to the game's fate;

• Standings situation: Thanks to the valuable three points earned by the Madrid club, the gap with the leader was reduced to 3 points, maximizing the intrigue in the championship race.

"The key to victory is psychological readiness": José Mourinho's open confession

After the match, Real head coach José Mourinho revealed the secrets behind his team's victory at a press conference:

• Solidarity and mental strength: "If you ask what the key to today's victory is, first of all, it is the team's psychological readiness. The confidence and solidarity shown on the pitch deserve special recognition," Mourinho said;

• Tactics and iron discipline: The coach emphasized that regardless of who is in the starting lineup, a system of high skill and unconditional adherence to the coach's instructions has been formed in the team;

• Striving for the goal: The Portuguese specialist stated that his players' endless thirst for victory and determination rightfully led them to this important success.

Match summary