Clasico Victory Signals Success for Mourinho’s Real Madrid Project

Kolkata: It started with a hug and came to a handshake at the end. When Federico Valverde’s pass went out, the cameras caught him stroking his beard. Kylian Mbappe's ricocheting strike to Real Madrid's advantage was met with silence from the man who returned to the Camp Nou after 13 years. Jose Mourinho has said he is older and calmer, and his comment after winning the Clasico on Sunday was in keeping with that. After defeating them 2-1, he said he was not going to let them have their heads on the moon.

But there were vignettes from a time more vintage. When Mbappe scored his second, Mourinho, 63, lifted his right arm in victory, communicating with referee Juan Munuera after the Spaniard's Aurelien Tchouameni was fouled by Xavi Espart, but before the final whistle. Barcelona had responded to Kylian Mbappe's brace with their 100th Real Madrid goal with a goal of their own from Raphinha. Now, it is over, it is night.

Also Read: UP Government Urges Candidates Not to Believe Rumours About Over 17,000 Vacant Teacher Posts

Good night, indeed. Against a team that had won a record-equalling nine La Liga matches and were champions in the last two seasons, one that had won six of the last seven Clasicos, Real Madrid had taken full points. Leaders Barcelona had the opportunity to be nine points up. They are now three in front of Real who are third. Real's first Clasico victory in a year is a sign that the Madrid and Mourinho project is going well.

Mourinho has come in to the club since May and has brought in six players, all of whom featured on Sunday. Rodri didn’t join. Unfazed, Mourinho said he didn’t want anyone who had doubts about playing for Real Madrid. There has been more focus on prevention and Mourinho has stated this is the first time in years that Real haven't had a significant injury in October.

After the Real manager Xabi Alonso experiment had failed, Mourinho was Real's fourth manager in a year without a win. As Real slumped, Barcelona soared. Their players, notably, filled Spain's World Cup victory team, while Real's Marc Cucurella appeared to be forgotten because of his late-season signing. Hansi Flick's side was a football side of a risk/reward nature that would earn a treble in 2024-25 and the league title one year later. Real required a change of course and they turned to someone who was not liked by the top clubs.

Pep Guardiola’s sophisticated football and those of coaches who had learnt from him was the present and future, it was said. Mourinho would have spent time at Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica and would have been in the next tier. The sport had progressed beyond his target man, parking-the-bus approach that made him a serial winner. One whose Inter Milan beat Barcelona with a player short in 2010 leading to Mourinho going on a sprint at Camp Nou, finger pointing to the sky.

But despite the spectacular Real victory he had at Benfica and the Conference League title with Roma, Mourinho remained a conversation topic. Benfica receive €15m severance fee from Real Madrid.

Earlier, Mourinho's Real had managed to cope with Guardiola's Barcelona, and won La Liga and advance to the semi-final three times in a row. With Barcelona reinvigorating their team with a host of youngsters and Rodri, who was it but Mourinho to make a way? There was a need for someone like him, a coach who had trampled on Real and Spain legend Iker Casillas's toes, in the dressing room. But that’s not what I’ve been able to do in my career – be an aggressive leader, ‘cause they’ve protected me from that version of me,” ESPN quoted him as saying in August.

The way Real Madrid ran, the way Valverde forgot his fitness concerns and attacked, the way Jude Bellingham dropped long balls and then sprinted to meet them, the way the midfield trio of Bernardo Silva, Tchouameni and Bellingham man-marked Lamine Yamal, Cucurella man-marked Pedri and Fermin Lopez, the way the midfield trio man marked the opposition midfielders, this was how Mourinho won their trust. Like Ayden Heaven, Dean Huijsen began shakily. Unlike the Manchester United defender, Huijsen did not have to grow into the game, but was a key moment in the 79th minute when he grabbed Frenkie de Jong's block.

Also Read: Trump Warns of Potential New US Strikes on Iran as Diplomatic Deal Remains Possible

With their organised off-the-ball game, Real Madrid cut Barcelona’s passing options. There was a moment when Gerard Martin found that though nine Barcelona players were in Real’s half, there was no one he could pass to. Then another when Joan Garcia was attempting to make a quick break after a corner kick was unsuccessful as the passing lanes were blocked. In such games, Yamal had expressed his enjoyment of the needle. Cucurella needle him and proved that he's the world's best left-back now.

Mourinho has never been a big fan of the Barcelona focus on possession, and that was proven here as his side could play pretty football as well. After a period of time where they were in control, Bellingham's wizardry was backed by the passing ability of Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga to produce the next two goals. Barcelona were the ones who were having fun (50 goals in 12 games) until Paris St-Germain and Real put an end to their success. Don't forget, Real have scored four goals in each of their last three games.

Also Read: PM Modi Opens ₹150 Crore Arvind Limited Textile Manufacturing Plant in Varanasi