Mourinho aims to end Barcelona's dominance in Sunday's El Clasico

Jose Mourinho stands on the brink of his most consequential match in years. The Portuguese manager faces his former club Barcelona on Sunday, with the potential to narrow a six-point gap in the Spanish league. A victory for Real Madrid would reduce the deficit to three points and halt a streak in which they have lost six of the last seven encounters against their rivals.

Barcelona enters the match at Camp Nou holding a six-point lead over Madrid. The champions have waited for this fixture to extend that advantage to nine points. However, their momentum has wavered. Hansi Flick's team suffered their first defeat of the season on Tuesday, losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Mourinho, 63, brings a deep history to the rivalry. He previously managed Real Madrid against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona starting in 2010. That era produced some of the most heated encounters in the modern history of El Clasico. President Florentino Perez appointed him with the goal of winning the title back to the Bernabeu. Cameras will focus closely on his tactics and reactions during Sunday's game.

Flick acknowledged the challenge posed by Mourinho's return. He described the Madrid side as arriving with a lot of confidence. Flick expressed high respect for the Portuguese manager, noting that long-term success is a product of quality. He emphasized that his team is in an initial phase of development.

“When you’re managing teams on this level for so many years and you always have success, it’s about quality,” Flick said. He noted that the team has been together for only a month and a half since players returned from the World Cup. He argued that comparing his side to more established teams is unfair. The players are still learning about the coach while he defines their paths.

The loss in Paris provided specific areas for improvement, according to Flick. He stated that the team analyzed the game and identified situations where they must grow. He viewed Sunday's match as a chance to challenge themselves against one of the best teams in the world.

“We analysed this game. We did many things really good, but we saw some situations where we have to improve,” Flick said. “We have to grow as a team. Tomorrow we play against one of the best teams in the world, so it’s a good opportunity to grow, to challenge ourselves, to improve ourselves and to grow as a team.”

Both managers agree that the match carries weight beyond the three points at stake. Mourinho said his team has been in a good dynamic, winning games and scoring goals. However, he stressed that previous form has no influence on El Clasico. “Normally, the football world stops to watch it. Hopefully, it’s a great game and we win,” Mourinho said.