Jose Mourinho marked his return to El Clasico in spectacular fashion as Kylian Mbappe's late winner secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Real Madrid over Barcelona, reigniting the La Liga title race.
The Portuguese manager celebrated Mbappe's decisive goal with his trademark knee slide at the Camp Nou, extending his remarkable unbeaten run against Barcelona to six consecutive El Clasico matches.
Thirteen years after his previous spell in charge of Real Madrid, Mourinho has become only the third manager in the club's history to go six successive Clasicos without defeat.
His record of four wins and two draws across those encounters places him alongside legendary Real Madrid coaches Miguel Munoz, who achieved the feat between 1962 and 1965, and Vicente del Bosque, who matched it from 2001 to 2003.
The victory also marked just Real Madrid's second win in their previous eight meetings with Barcelona, highlighting the significance of Mourinho's return to Spanish football's biggest rivalry.
Kylian Mbappe proved decisive with both goals in Real Madrid's 2-1 triumph, ending Barcelona's nine-match unbeaten domestic run.
The result could prove pivotal in the La Liga title race.
A Barcelona victory would have extended their advantage over Real Madrid to nine points. Instead, Mourinho's side reduced the gap to just three, putting renewed pressure on the reigning Spanish champions.
For Mourinho, the victory represented more than simply another triumph over Barcelona.
"In my view, Real Madrid do not play to win at the Camp Nou, Real Madrid play to win La Liga," Mourinho said.
"We could win with luck, but we won with calmness and with all merit," he added.
"It's a very strong group. Everyone works very hard. Everyone was ready to win."
The Portuguese coach was quick to praise his players for delivering under pressure, while acknowledging the demands placed on managers at the highest level.
"The credit goes to the players. When you win, the credit goes to the players. But when you lose, the blame falls on you. And that's why we see coaches being sacked from their positions every week."
Mourinho's latest victory brings his overall El Clasico record across two spells as Real Madrid manager to six wins and six defeats.
The experienced coach believes his team's combination of technical quality, tactical discipline and determination was crucial to overcoming Barcelona.
"I've learned that I have an extraordinary group, with the quality and mindset to play," he said.
Mourinho particularly highlighted the balance within his midfield, explaining how players with different strengths have improved Real Madrid's performances in both attack and defence.
"In midfield, having a mix of talents gives us more than just having two players with similar characteristics. This mix of talents gives us balance when defending and quality when we go on the attack."
Despite the significance of the victory, Mourinho warned his players against becoming complacent.
"We've beaten several teams by four or more goals, but this is Barca, and the players put on a great performance. We need to continue like this and don't go over the moon after this win."
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick acknowledged that fatigue played a role in his team's disappointing performance, although he refused to use the demanding schedule as an excuse.
The German coach admitted his players lacked the sharpness required to compete at their highest level after a challenging run of fixtures.
"We missed the freshness," Flick said.
"It's not easy for our players. We have to recover well, train well and we have to respond from this defeat."
Flick also pointed to the fine margins that often determine high-profile encounters, admitting Barcelona failed to capitalise on key moments.
"In big games, small things are important and they decide the games and today, it wasn't on our side."
"I can see that today we were not fresh and this is what we have to change."
Real Madrid's victory has dramatically altered the outlook of the Spanish title race, cutting Barcelona's lead to three points and handing Mourinho's side renewed momentum.
Mbappe's match-winning performance demonstrated his importance to Real Madrid's ambitions, while Mourinho's tactical approach once again proved effective against Barcelona.
For the reigning champions, the defeat serves as a reminder that their domestic advantage remains vulnerable despite an impressive start to the campaign.
With the gap at the top significantly reduced, Mourinho and Real Madrid have ensured that the battle for La Liga supremacy remains firmly alive.
