Sports12 August, 20263 min read
José Mourinho Says Stopping Lionel Messi Became Obsession During Real Madrid El Clásico
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Mourinho says stopping Lionel Messi became an obsession at Real Madrid. He attributes this focus to Messi's dominance shaping El Clásico tactics.
Messi obsession in Madrid
José Mourinho says in Netflix’s documentary Mourinho that stopping Lionel Messi became an obsession during his time as Real Madrid manager, including around his first El Clásico against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
“And then it was 40 minutes about Lionel Messi.”
Mourinho recalled, "I was having a nightmare. 'What can we do to stop him?'" and said, "From the first El Clásico, I knew that we couldn't be better than them doing the same as they do."
Former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, who worked under Mourinho and later returned to the club as part of the coaching staff, said preparation revolved around containing Messi, recalling, "And then it was 40 minutes about Lionel Messi."
Khedira added that Mourinho changed players for the rivalry, saying the most important focus was, "How can we stop Lionel Messi?"
The Times of India also revisits Mourinho’s falling-out with then-captain Iker Casillas after learning the goalkeeper had contacted Barcelona midfielder Xavi, with Mourinho saying, "This is Barcelona-Real Madrid. When you go to the national team, then you can kiss the guy. But not now. This is war."
Return framed by critics
As La Liga returns for the 2026-27 season this weekend, Opta Analyst frames Mourinho’s second stint at Real Madrid as a question of relevance, noting that he is back "for a second stint in charge" after being away from Europe’s top clubs. Opta Analyst quotes Mourinho’s first official interview with the club’s media last month, saying, "I'm here to help everyone become better: players, staff…creating a culture of work, responsibility, ambition" and adding, "It’s not about working at Real Madrid; it’s about working for Real Madrid." BBC Sport, meanwhile, presents Mourinho’s return as a test of whether he can restore Real Madrid after two successive seasons without a trophy, with the BBC asking if the 63-year-old is still capable of reaching the heights of his past.
BBC Sport also includes Eduardo Alvarez’s view that Perez is betting on a second stint because "Ancelotti was successful during his and it's a very similar case," and that Mourinho is "more player-intense" in a way Alvarez believes Perez needs. Ramon Calderon warns that Mourinho must change how he deals with players, telling BBC Sport, "He's going to need to change the behaviour and the attitude of the players," and arguing he must gain respect "by persuasion, not by imposition."
Title race and transfers
Multiple outlets tie Mourinho’s return to the LaLiga title race, with Daily Sabah saying Barcelona begin their title defense while Real Madrid enter with urgency after two trophyless campaigns. Daily Sabah reports Real’s summer moves under newly re-elected president Florentino Perez, including signing Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva and Carlos Espi, and it says Vinicius was tied to a million-euro contract extension. Fanatik adds that Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez initiated a high-stakes squad overhaul and appointed Jose Mourinho after his departure from Benfica, describing the move as a calculated gamble for immediate domestic and European competitiveness.
Fanatik also says Barcelona enter under Hansi Flick with continuity, listing Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Pedri, Pau Cubarsi and Ferran Torres as part of the core that contributed to Spain’s World Cup victory. In the same title-race frame, Fanatik reports Atletico Madrid’s forward Julian Alvarez publicly requested a transfer and says Atletico management maintains they will not sell him to their league rivals, adding administrative tension ahead of the season opener.