El Clásico countdown: Mourinho's referee complaint, the 24-hour row and Flick's response to the PSG defeat
José Mourinho has complained about leaked referee names and about having 24 hours less rest than Barcelona. Hansi Flick blamed tiredness for the 4-2 defeat in Paris. Here is the build-up to Sunday's Clásico at Camp Nou.
Sunday's Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou kicks off at 21:00 local time (04:00 Monday in Beijing), as confirmed by Real Madrid. The build-up has been just as lively as you would expect with José Mourinho in the Madrid dugout. Here is everything that has been said.
The referee row
Spanish media reported this week that Juan Martínez Munuera will referee the match, with Iglesias Villanueva on VAR. These are reports, not official appointments; earlier in October, Radio MARCA had named Alejandro Hernández Hernández.
Mourinho was unhappy that names were being discussed at all. Speaking after the win over RB Leipzig, he said, according to Marca: "This comes out of context, but the announcement will be made 24 hours before the match. I do not like this type of information, and I do not like it coming out at this time." He stressed he was not "referring here to these two referees specifically".
The official appointment is due to be made 24 hours before kick-off.
The 24-hour complaint
Barcelona played in Paris on Tuesday; Madrid hosted Leipzig on Wednesday. Mourinho has made the most of it: "We are losing 24 hours of rest, but we will play the Clásico." Asked about confidence, he said: "In the Clásico there is no question of confidence. It is another match in the league, but it is not like the other matches."
Vinícius: allowed in Europe, banned in Spain
Vinícius Júnior played against Leipzig before being replaced by Yan Diomande on 70 minutes, but he will miss the Clásico as he serves a four-match LaLiga ban after his red card against Villarreal. Mourinho defended him: "Only Vinícius can explain whether he feels sad, but his coach is happy with what he provided." Diomande, Madrid's €140 million record signing, scored against Leipzig and is the favourite to replace him.
Flick: "not fresh"
Hansi Flick was honest about Barcelona's first defeat of the season, 4-2 at PSG: "We made too many mistakes, especially in ball possession, easy ball losses. We have to understand the mistakes happen because [the players] are not fresh."
Barcelona's main worry is defence. Eric García and Andreas Christensen are out, and Jules Koundé is a doubt with an ankle injury. Raphinha is back from a hamstring problem.
What is at stake
| Barcelona | Real Madrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 27 (W9) | 21 |
| A win would make the gap | 9 points | 3 points |
Barcelona have won four of the last five Clásicos. The full numbers, team news and possible line-ups are in our Barcelona v Real Madrid preview. And the next evening, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé could both be in contention at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
FAQ
What time is El Clásico? Sunday 25 October 2026, 21:00 in Spain (20:00 UK, 04:00 Monday in Beijing).
Who is refereeing El Clásico? Spanish media report Juan Martínez Munuera, with Iglesias Villanueva on VAR. The official appointment is made 24 hours before the match.
Why is Vinícius missing El Clásico? He is serving a four-match LaLiga ban after being sent off against Villarreal.
