Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho downplays defeating Barcelona: ‘We must not go over the moon’

Real Madrid secured a crucial victory against Barcelona on Matchday 10 of the 2026–27 La Liga season. However, manager Jose Mourinho firmly believes the squad must avoid complacency, reminding them that the job is far from finished and the domestic campaign remains long and grueling.

Propelled by a clinical brace from Kylian Mbappe—who reached the historic milestone of 100 goals in a Real Madrid shirt—Los Blancos marched into Spotify Camp Nou and walked away with three vital points in hand. Nevertheless, Madrid remain third in the La Liga standings, and Mourinho is acutely aware that his players must keep their feet firmly planted on the ground if they hope to lift silverware at the end of the season.

“In my view, Real Madrid do not play to win at the Camp Nou… Real Madrid play to win LaLiga,” Mourinho said after the game. “This must be the mentality. We need to continue like this and don’t go over the moon after this win.”

Real Madrid locked in a vital win on Matchday 10

Entering Sunday’s showdown, Real Madrid trailed the Blaugrana by six points in the table. This away triumph allowed them to slash the deficit to just three points, keeping alive their ambitions of overtaking both Barcelona and second-place Atletico Madrid to claim the top spot before the mid-season winter break.

Achieving this victory without the suspended Vinicius Junior and starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois—who was sidelined on Sunday morning with a severe flu—showcased the squad’s tactical maturity and proved they do not rely solely on individual star names. With a healthier, deeper bench, Real Madrid are once again being viewed as genuine contenders both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League, where they maintain a strong European campaign.

Last season, recurring injuries severely undermined Real Madrid’s consistency and depth, limiting their ability to challenge on all fronts. If Mourinho can keep his core squad fit and firing over the grueling winter schedule, this Madrid team possesses every ingredient required to restore the dominant standard expected at the Santiago Bernabeu.