José Mourinho speaks on Real Madrid being six points behind Barcelona

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has urged calm after his side slipped six points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race following a disappointing defeat in the Madrid derby.

Los Blancos suffered a 2-1 loss to Atlético Madrid, a result that widened the gap at the top of the table and intensified scrutiny on Mourinho’s team. Despite the setback, the Portuguese coach insisted that the season is far from over and reminded supporters that league titles are decided over many months, not in September.

Mourinho described the campaign as a “marathon” rather than a sprint, stressing that Real Madrid still have plenty of matches left to recover ground. He called on his players to remain focused and avoid being distracted by Barcelona’s strong start to the season.

He said,

"Maybe in different circumstances… We’ve seen things in this stadium, this week, the cancelled goal against Osasuna, the cancelled penalty in San Sebastián, the Barcelona penalty."

The defeat to Atlético was particularly painful for Madrid. Antonio Rüdiger found the net late in the match, but goals from Atlético proved enough to secure victory. Real Madrid also had to cope with adversity after defender Dean Huijsen was shown a red card, leaving the visitors with ten men for part of the encounter.

Barcelona’s impressive form has set the pace in La Liga, but Mourinho believes the title race remains open. The former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Roma boss emphasized that Real Madrid have the quality, experience and mentality required to challenge for domestic honours.

Mourinho also touched on officiating matters after the game, although his primary focus remained on improving his side’s performances and closing the gap at the top of the standings. Real Madrid will now turn their attention to upcoming fixtures as they seek to respond positively and keep pressure on their fierce rivals.

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