Mourinho Clasico Return: Real Madrid Face Barcelona at Camp Nou
Jose Mourinho will take charge of his first Clasico since returning to Real Madrid when the Spanish giants visit Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, 2026. The Mourinho Clasico return comes with Real Madrid six points behind the La Liga leaders after nine rounds of the season.
Barcelona sit top of the table with a perfect record of nine wins from nine league matches. A win on Sunday would stretch their lead over third-placed Real Madrid to nine points. A Real Madrid win would cut the gap to three points and give Mourinho a turning point in his second spell at the club.
Mourinho, 63, first managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. He won the Spanish title in 2012, the high point of that spell. His battles with Barcelona under Pep Guardiola defined that era, and relations between the two clubs fell to a low point during a run of four meetings in 18 days in 2011.
Mourinho and the Guardiola years
The rivalry reached its most heated point in the spring of 2011, when the clubs met four times in quick succession across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey final, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the winner in extra time. Barcelona won the Champions League semi-final, taking the first leg 2-0 in Madrid before a 1-1 draw in the second leg sent them to the final, which they won.
Mourinho Clasico return and stopping Flick’s Barcelona
Mourinho was rehired to stop Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. The German coach has won back-to-back Spanish titles, and his side have won six of seven Clasicos since he arrived, scoring 22 goals and conceding 11.
Barcelona lost 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in midweek, their first defeat of the season. They still arrive as favourites, with home advantage and the best attack in the league so far.
Team news and selection questions
Selection remains the main talking point before kick-off. Mourinho has used Federico Valverde at right-back in the last two matches, ahead of Denzel Dumfries and Trent Alexander-Arnold, after first saying he did not see the Uruguayan midfielder in that role.
“We created a lot on that side, and Fede had a fantastic match,” Mourinho said after the Leipzig game.
In midfield, Mourinho used Arda Guler against Sevilla and Bernardo Silva against Leipzig. Both moves improved Real Madrid on the ball, and both players are in contention for Sunday. Reports before the match also listed Vinicius Junior as suspended in the Spanish top flight, while Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio were reported as injured. That leaves Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham as certain starters in attack, with Yan Diomande tipped to play on the left.
Why Sunday matters for both clubs
For Barcelona, Sunday is a chance to turn a strong start into a lead that is hard to chase. Nine points clear after ten rounds would leave Real Madrid needing a long winning run just to stay in touch.
For Real Madrid, Sunday is a test of whether Mourinho’s second spell can change the recent pattern of this fixture. He won just once in his first ten Clasicos in his first spell, then went unbeaten in his final five against Barcelona, with three wins.
The match kicks off at 9:00 pm Central European Time on Sunday, which is 1:00 am Pakistan time on Monday. Feature Pakistan also covered Cristiano Ronaldo’s disputed 982nd career goal, Pakistan’s run to the Sultan of Johor Cup final, India’s win over Zimbabwe in the women’s ODI series opener and Afghanistan’s tri-series final win over Zimbabwe.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Clasico?
Barcelona host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Kick-off is at 9:00 pm Central European Time, which is 1:00 am Pakistan time on Monday.
Why is Mourinho’s return a big story?
Mourinho managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013 and won the league title in 2012. Sunday is his first Clasico since returning to the club, against a Barcelona side that have won six of the last seven Clasicos.
What is at stake in the league table?
Barcelona lead Real Madrid by six points after nine matches. A Barcelona win would make the gap nine points, while a Real Madrid win would cut it to three points.
Who is missing for Real Madrid?
Vinicius Junior is suspended in La Liga, and reports listed Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio as injured. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are expected to start.
