Barcelona vs Real Madrid: We won’t treat Yamal like Messi — Mourinho says

The Portuguese tactician addressed the media ahead of the October 25 showdown, marking his first managerial involvement in the rivalry since his initial departure from the club in 2013.

Despite acknowledging the 19-year-old winger’s spectacular form this season, Mourinho insisted that he will not compromise Real Madrid’s overarching tactical structure to neutralise a single individual.

"There’s no specific plan anti-Lamine," Mourinho stated. "He’s a great player, great players deserve respect… but changing your plans, your structures is another.”

"They players are all good, same as ours," the manager concluded, emphasising a collective approach to the fixture.

A stark contrast to the Messi era Mourinho’s refusal to build a bespoke defensive cage around Yamal signals a significantly different approach from his first spell at the Santiago Bernabéu between 2010 and 2013.

During that fiercely competitive era, Mourinho routinely devised aggressive "anti-Messi" systems to stifle Lionel Messi.

His most famous tactical adjustment involved moving rugged centre-back Pepe into a holding midfield role specifically to physically disrupt the Argentine’s rhythm.

That tactical warfare defined a period where Mourinho’s Real Madrid secured the 2010/11 Copa del Rey and 2011/12 LALIGA titles. Simultaneously, Messi propelled Barcelona to league crowns in 2010/11 and 2012/13, alongside the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League title.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (Credit: Imago) The Yamal threat While Mourinho remains reluctant to single him out, Yamal is undeniably the most dangerous attacking threat heading into the weekend.

The teenager has already registered 10 goals and 10 assists across just 12 appearances in the 2026/27 campaign.

With Real Madrid currently trailing Barcelona by nine points in the domestic standings following a tumultuous start to the season, Mourinho’s faith in his standard structure will be severely tested by the in-form Catalan side.