During the pre-match press conference ahead of the El-Classico clash, Jose Mourinho hilariously dismissed the allegations regarding a superstition. The Real Madrid manager hasn’t shaved his beard since
the defeat against Atletico Madrid and the side hasn’t lost a game since. The Spanish giants went on to win 4 successive games including a seven-goal thriller against AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League. However, Mourinho asked if he looks terrible with the beard and claimed that he is one of the few people in football who doesn’t believe in superstitions.
“Do I look terrible? Because if you tell me I look terrible, I’m going to reconsider it. No not at all, never( On being asked if keeping the beard was a superstition to win games). I’m probably one of the few people in football who isn’t superstitious at all,” stated Jose Mourinho on being asked about his beard. The Portuguese tactician is often known for his witty replies to reporters and once again he has bluntly dismissed all the rumours related to the superstition. He humurously asked the reporters if the beard looked fine and stated that he would reconsider his styling if it looked terrible.
🧔🏼🪒 José Mourinho when asked about his beard and if he’s superstitious: “I am not superstitious at all!”.
“Do I look terrible with the beard? Should I change it?“. https://t.co/PArji1ak6E
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 24, 2026
Real Madrid face difficult El Clasico challenge against an in-form FC Barcelona
Real Madrid would head into the El-Clasico as the underdogs of the fixture as they have won just one game out of the previous 6 meetings. Mourinho’s side has conceded 13 goals across their last 5 meetings and the lack of quality in the defensive setup is evident. Real Madrid’s only win came in the Santiago Bernabeu, where they managed to edge past FC Barcelona, 2-1. However, the historical record between both of the sides have been levelled with both sides winning 106 games each.
The biggest difficulty for Jose Mourinho in tomorrow’s fixture would be the absence of Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian winger is currently undergoing a 4-match ban and his explosive pace down the flank would be a huge miss for the side. Kylian Mbappe is expected to shift to his natural left wing position, and his current form would be an advantage for the side. Endrick could potentially start for Real Madrid as the central striker or a false nine. The new face of the Real Madrid attack would have to be at their best to break the defensive line of FC Barcelona.
However, the major point of concern for Real Madrid would be their weak defensive structure in the recent games against FC Barcelona. The backline would have to find a way to keep Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski silent throughout the game. The Catalans have gotten off to a flying start in the La Liga with 9 straight wins in their campaign so far. It would be interesting to see who would come out on top in the clash of the heavyweights and Jose Mourinho would be hopeful of securing the 3 points at Camp Nou, Barcelona.
