Sport: Florentino to monitor Mourinho's performance in El Clásico

Florentino will closely monitor Mourinho's team's performance, especially following its recent loss in the Madrid derby, which has intensified external expectations and pressure on Real Madrid.

According to Sport, Florentino's last visit to Camp Nou was on October 24, 2021, when Real Madrid, coached by Ancelotti, defeated Barcelona 2-1 under Koeman. Since then, the two teams have played 17 official matches, with Real Madrid winning seven and Barcelona winning 10. Recently, Real Madrid's record in El Clásico has been particularly poor, with the club losing six of the last seven encounters. This Sunday's El Clásico carries special significance.On March 19, 2023, just one month after the Negreira case emerged, Florentino missed El Clásico for the first time in 20 years. Nevertheless, relations between Real Madrid and Barcelona did not break down completely. At Real Madrid's General Assembly in November 2024, Florentino said he maintained a good relationship with Barcelona. Responding to a member who called for ties to be severed, he asked, "Why should we be angry?"

On February 7 this year, Barcelona officially withdrew from the Super League, ending the most important strategic alliance between the two clubs. Since then, institutional tensions between the sides have escalated further. During his re-election campaign, Florentino made the Negreira case a central issue.

The election also revealed a new faction forming around Enrique Riquelme, who eventually ran for office himself. Meanwhile, criticism of Florentino began to emerge from the Bernabéu stands.

"I could have won 14 league titles, but others were stolen," Florentino once said. For the first time in 10 years, he saw banners protesting against him at the Bernabéu. The last such protest took place during the 2015-16 season, when Zidane was already managing Real Madrid.

With Mourinho's arrival, the focus of Real Madrid fans' discontent shifted. Florentino, the club's most successful president, was no longer the primary target of protests, as fans instead displayed banners targeting LaLiga president Tebas and highlighting the Negreira case. In recent matches, the stands have become an important platform for fans to voice their opinions, and tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona supporters are intensifying as El Clásico approaches.

However, Sunday's match will provide another crucial test of Real Madrid's current form, while Mourinho's tactical approach will also come under scrutiny.

Mourinho has gradually regained credibility in the weeks since the defeat to Atlético Madrid. The loss sparked significant controversy, and his subsequent comments on refereeing were in line with the club's official position.

Both Mourinho and Florentino understand that another El Clásico defeat would put them in a difficult position. For Mourinho, losing another high-stakes match would raise further questions about his coaching ability.

After the international break, former France national team coach Deschamps was reportedly named as a potential successor to Mourinho should he underperform. However, those close to Deschamps subsequently denied the claim.

Real Madrid have made tactical adjustments ahead of El Clásico. Valverde has returned to right-back, Diomande has received more playing time, and Güler has been tasked with orchestrating the attack. These changes have helped shape the team's preparations, and there is belief within the club that they can secure a positive result on Sunday.

For Florentino, Mourinho, and the Real Madrid players, this match means far more than an ordinary league game. Following Real Madrid's victory in last season's first El Clásico, Vinicius' reaction to being substituted showed just how deeply the result can affect team morale and shape the course of the season.

With competition between Real Madrid and Barcelona intensifying, Sunday's match will be a crucial test of Mourinho's effectiveness and Real Madrid's ability to overturn their recent disadvantage in head-to-head encounters.