Flick carries strong record into Mourinho reunion ahead of El Clasico

Hansi Flick will meet Jose Mourinho for only the second time in his managerial career when Barcelona face Real Madrid in the upcoming El Clasico, with the Barcelona boss having won their previous encounter.

Flick’s side also have the chance to avenge their defeat in Paris and move nine points clear of their long-standing rivals in La Liga, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.

The German failed to record his first victory over Luis Enrique last Tuesday, having now lost twice and drawn once against the former Barcelona manager. However, his record against Mourinho and in El Clasico meetings provides Barcelona supporters with reasons for optimism.

The managers’ only previous meeting came on 11 December 2019, when Flick was in charge of Bayern Munich. He had taken over only a few weeks earlier, succeeding Niko Kovac, while Mourinho had recently replaced Mauricio Pochettino as Tottenham manager.

Bayern Munich won that Champions League group-stage match 3-1. Kingsley Coman put the German side ahead in the 14th minute before Ryan Sessegnon equalised six minutes later.

Thomas Muller restored Bayern’s lead before half-time, and former Barcelona player Philippe Coutinho completed the scoring in the second half.

The result gave Bayern Munich a perfect record in the group stage, with the club later going on to win the UEFA Champions League in Lisbon.

Flick’s dominant El Clasico record

Flick has also built an almost perfect record in El Clasico fixtures, winning six of his seven matches against Real Madrid.

Those games include La Liga meetings, the Copa del Rey final at La Cartuja and two Spanish Super Cup finals staged in Saudi Arabia.

Another statistic adds to the sense of confidence around Barcelona before the latest contest: the contrast between the two managers’ league title records during the past decade.

Flick has won four league titles in that period. Two came with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons, while the other two were secured in La Liga in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026.

Mourinho, by contrast, has not won a league title during the same period. His most recent league championship came in the 2014-2015 season, when he guided Chelsea to the English Premier League title.

The upcoming El Clasico will therefore bring together two managers with contrasting recent domestic records, while offering Flick the opportunity to extend his advantage over Mourinho and strengthen Barcelona’s position in the title race.