Mourinho’s tactical masterclass and Mbappe double reignite La Liga title race

Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou has drawn widespread international praise for Jose Mourinho’s tactical approach and Kylian Mbappe’s decisive contribution, with the French forward scoring both goals to revive the La Liga title race.

The result gave Real Madrid a significant boost after they defeated Barcelona for the second time in five days. It also reduced the gap to the league leaders to three points and ended Barcelona’s run of victories, which had been aimed at securing a 10th consecutive win at the start of the season.

Praise for Mourinho’s approach

Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport said the clasico had revived the idea of Mourinho returning to his best level. It highlighted his success in solving a midfield problem that had troubled previous Real Madrid managers, including Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.

The newspaper added that the victory had brought the title race back into focus after Barcelona had appeared almost unbeatable.

Tuttosport focused on Real Madrid’s ability to win at their rivals’ home ground, saying Mbappe’s double had brought the league contest back to life. It also noted that the forward had taken his tally against Barcelona to 14 goals, including 11 away from home.

L’Equipe described Mbappe as the player who had the final say on the eve of the Ballon d’Or ceremony. His performance ended Barcelona’s winning run as they attempted to maintain their perfect start to the league campaign.

French broadcaster RMC called the victory a demonstration of Real Madrid’s strength under Mourinho and said Mbappe had scored his 99th and 100th goals for the club. It also praised Eduardo Camavinga for helping Real Madrid control the match, while Lamine Yamal was unable to make a significant impact.

Mbappe decides the match

German newspaper Bild highlighted Real Madrid’s ability to withstand periods of Barcelona pressure. It said the visitors had wasted several promising counter-attacks in the second half before regaining control after the hosts equalised from a short corner.

According to Bild, a decisive pass from Jude Bellingham created the opportunity for Mbappe’s winning goal after an excellent movement from Camavinga, illustrating Real Madrid’s effectiveness when using the spaces available to them.

Kicker said Mbappe’s two goals secured the victory and represented a major setback for Barcelona, who suffered their first La Liga defeat of the season.

The BBC highlighted Mourinho’s celebration of the winning goal, when he slid on his knees in front of the supporters, describing the moment as evidence of the Portuguese manager’s continued ability to produce special occasions against his traditional rivals.

The Athletic called Real Madrid’s performance a surprise and praised Mourinho’s plan for limiting Barcelona’s attacking threat. It also said Yamal, despite being regarded as one of Barcelona’s leading hopes, failed to provide the expected influence.

The Times identified Mourinho and Mbappe as the outstanding figures of the match, saying the manager guided Real Madrid to a valuable win while the forward’s goals cut the gap in the standings and restored their hopes of challenging strongly for the title.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola praised Mourinho’s bold attacking selection, including Bernardo Silva alongside Arda Guler, and said he chose not to sit back and rely solely on counter-attacks. Instead, he imposed his approach on the match, disrupting Barcelona’s plans and giving Real Madrid an advantage in several areas.

It added that Mourinho had again demonstrated his ability to manage major matches. Argentine newspaper Ole also focused on Mbappe’s display, described Yamal as Barcelona’s biggest disappointment and praised Mourinho’s experience in convincing his players they could win at their opponents’ stadium.

The listed fixtures include Barcelona against Deportivo Alaves on 31 October 2026 and Real Madrid against Racing Santander on 01 November 2026.