Ander Herrera says Mourinho has restored Real Madrid’s belief in challenging Barcelona

Ander Herrera believes Jose Mourinho has the character and resilience needed to guide Real Madrid through a difficult period and compete with Barcelona for major honours once again.

The Manchester United legend was speaking on the Camino de Mario podcast alongside his friend Mario Suarez, where he discussed his career and his continued involvement with his boyhood club Real Zaragoza.

Herrera has played for Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Boca Juniors during a career in which he has worked with several high-profile managers, including Mourinho, Real Madrid’s current head coach.

Reflecting on the Portuguese manager’s methods, Herrera said: “For me, Mourinho is a manager for men. He belongs to an era of football in which players were not so sensitive. Criticism was understood, accepted and respected, and so were the hierarchies within the team.”

Herrera worked under Mourinho at Manchester United, the club for which he has made the most appearances alongside Athletic Bilbao. He played 189 matches for each club, according to Transfermarkt.

The midfielder also recalled an incident which, he said, captured both Mourinho’s demanding approach and his close relationship with his players.

“I remember a match after playing Saint-Etienne in the Europa League, when Mourinho came in front of everyone and told me that I had been terrible and so on,” Herrera said. “But the next day, we hugged.”

Mourinho began his second spell at Real Madrid this season. After a difficult start, he has helped the team recover its direction. Real Madrid have not lost since the international break, while victories in the Champions League and against Barcelona in the Clasico have returned them to contention for every trophy.

However, Herrera acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing Mourinho at the Spanish club. Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 in the Clasico, with Kylian Mbappe scoring both goals, although the performance was not entirely smooth or convincing in terms of style. Herrera said the improvement from their previous matches had nevertheless been significant.

“I see Mourinho trying to tame a very difficult bull,” he said. “Real Madrid come after two difficult years, during which there has been a great deal of noise around the team and around its stars. We are in the post-Toni Kroos and post-Luka Modric era, and it is not easy. It is a demanding task.”

Herrera added that Mourinho was also confronting a Barcelona side coached by Hansi Flick, describing the situation as particularly challenging.

“Then he is facing an unbeatable Barcelona,” he said. “All these circumstances have come together, but if there is someone with the charisma and, I would also say, the strength and toughness needed to turn things around, it is Mourinho.

“He has done it before during his first spell. I do not know whether he completely turned the balance of power, but he at least managed to bring Real Madrid up to Barcelona’s level.”