The Portuguese tactician will be in charge of a game against FC Barcelona for the first time since 2013.
The first ELCLASICO of the season is set to feature the highly anticipated return of José Mourinho, who will oversee his first game against FC Barcelona since 2013. Having kicked off his first tenure at Real Madrid in 2010, the Portuguese coach was present in as many as 17 duels against the Catalan side across all competitions. His tactical battles with Pep Guardiola were the stuff of legend, establishing ELCLASICO in his first stint at Los Blancos as the most entertaining rivalry in world football. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
Fast-forward to the summer of 2026, when Real Madrid decided to bring back Mourinho in their bid to end FC Barcelona’s dominance as they seek to return to the pinnacle of the Spanish game. The reigning LALIGA EA SPORTS champions may have made a flying start to the season, but history has shown on several occasions that one victory in a rivalry match can turn everything on its head. However, Mourinho has found Barça a tough nut to crack over the years.
Mourinho’s record against FC Barcelona
Throughout his managerial career, Mourinho has faced Los Azulgranas as many as 27 times, recording eight wins, nine draws and 10 losses. Ten of those matches were with Chelsea and Inter, while he was in charge of Real Madrid in 17 rivalry matches, having won five times, two of which were in league play.
His first ELCLASICO ended in a 5-0 thrashing in November 2010 at the Spotify Camp Nou, but Mourinho earned his revenge a few months later as Real Madrid beat FC Barcelona 1-0 in the Copa del Rey final. Meanwhile, two of their most epic battles came in the Champions League that same season, with the Catalan side winning 2-0 away at Real Madrid before securing qualification to the final by drawing 1-1 on home soil.
The last ELCLASICO he was part of took place in March 2013, with Los Blancos beating their fierce rivals 2-1 in the league only a few weeks before his first spell in Real Madrid’s dugout came to an end. This would also be the last time he was in charge of any game against FC Barcelona, having never faced the Catalan outfit again with any of his subsequent clubs.
It should be noted that by the time Mourinho arrived in the Spanish capital, he had already developed a personal feud with FC Barcelona, a club he used to work for early on in his career. During his tenure at Chelsea, he faced Los Azulgranas in three straight Champions League seasons. The Blues knocked out Barça from the Round of 16 (5-4 on aggregate) in 2004/05 before FC Barcelona got their revenge a year later (2-3 agg.). The two sides faced each other in the group stage of the following season. The English side won 1-0 on home soil before securing a 2–2 draw in Catalonia, with both teams reaching the last-16.
Yet, his most epic clash against FC Barcelona came the year before he took over at Real Madrid. The then-Inter coach led his team to the Champions League final by overcoming Barça 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals before going all the way to the trophy.
Aiming to halt Hansi Flick’s reign
Hansi Flick has won almost everything since taking over at FC Barcelona in the summer of 2024. As many as 13 years after his last ELCLASICO, Mourinho returns to this fixture determined to end Flick’s dominance and make his mark on Spanish football once again.
Surprisingly, the two men have faced each other just once. Back in December 2019, Flick’s Bayern Munich hosted Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League group stage, with the Bavarian side grabbing a 3-1 victory.
A few years later, the German coach would move to Catalonia, where he has won five trophies, including back-to-back league titles, in two years. On Sunday, Mourinho threatens to take a first step towards halting his reign, with his much-anticipated ELCLASICO return set to steal the spotlight.
