José Mourinho has dismissed the idea of devising a specific plan to neutralise Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal ahead of Sunday’s El Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou. The Real Madrid manager said his side would respect the 18-year-old’s ability but would not alter their tactical structure for an individual opponent.

“There’s no specific plan anti-Lamine,” Mourinho said in his pre-match press conference. “He’s a great player, great players deserve respect… but changing your plans, your structures is another.” He added that Madrid would not forget their own identity against Yamal or any other high-quality opponent.

Mourinho also rejected the suggestion that the Clásico would serve as a litmus test of Madrid’s ability to compete for major honours. “No. Madrid with Mourinho wins titles,” he said, while acknowledging that his second spell at the club remained a work in progress.

The article’s reference to Barcelona’s “17-year-old prodigy” is incorrect. Yamal was born on July 13, 2007, making him 18 at the time of this October 2026 match.

The article also incorrectly attributes comments to Ronaldo Figo. The available reporting does not show that Figo said man-marking Yamal would be “madness”; that claim should be removed.

Mourinho’s approach instead emphasised collective preparation. He described Barcelona’s players as “all good, same as ours,” signalling that Madrid would rely on their overall structure rather than a personalised defensive assignment.

Barcelona enter the fixture as La Liga leaders, while Madrid arrive with five consecutive league wins. Mourinho’s refusal to tailor his plan around Yamal leaves Madrid’s broader tactical identity as the central question heading into the match.