Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Jose Mourinho insists he is always motivated ahead of every Real Madrid game, with a Madrid derby no different from any other.
Madrid face Atletico Madrid in their final match before the extended international break, with both looking to keep the pressure on leaders Barcelona, who are top of the table with a perfect record.
Los Blancos have a near-flawless record since Mourinho’s return, losing just one of their six LaLiga games so far while winning the other five and sit second, six points behind the reigning champions.
And Atletico have also recorded only one league loss so far, but they sit two points behind Madrid, having also dropped points in a draw (W4).
Mourinho has won all six of his LaLiga matches against Atletico, the only manager in the competition’s history to win each of his first six Madrid derbies between the sides.
But when asked if he was more motivated to play a derby or a Clasico at this stage of his career, Mourinho highlighted the importance of every game he heads into.
“It motivates me every day,” Mourinho said. “When you say… I understand you mean it respectfully, and I want to respond respectfully too, but when you say ‘at that point in my career’…
“My career, from the first day to the last, will always be the same. I don’t know if I’m making myself clear. It’s not that age, years, or experience change my way of being. It motivates me so much.
“Next week it’s against Villarreal, right? No! Not next week, the next matchday. Playing against Villarreal motivates me as much as a Clasico or a derby. It makes absolutely no difference to me.
“As I said before, Clasicos, like derbies, are part of the culture. They’re part of history, and obviously that’s why they have something extra. But when you talk about mo-ti-va-tion… Argh … motivation is every single day.”
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) September 17, 2026
Madrid have lost three of their last five LaLiga away games against Atletico (W1 D1), after suffering just one defeat in their previous 20 visits to the Metropolitano in the competition (W12 D7).
And Los Blancos have won their last two games against Atletico in all competitions, though they have not recorded three straight wins against them since 2013, when they had 10 consecutive wins, with eight of those coming under Mourinho.
“I don’t know if I’ll achieve it [a win at the Metropolitano],” Mourinho said when asked about Madrid’s struggles away to Atletico in LaLiga.
“That’s my intention, just like the players’. I don’t know if I’ll achieve it as a coach, or if the players, as players, will achieve it. But that’s the intention.
“We have to improve, but we also have to get results, and that’s what we’re working towards. Obviously there are things we have to improve.
“And we, obviously, have a lot of confidence in ourselves. But at the same time, we have the humility to know that we have to work to improve.”
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