The following is a translation of Johan Cruyff’s weekly article in ‘El Periodico’.  The original can be found here.

Johan Cruyff’s key points.

The first Clasico showed us how much fear Mourinho has for Barca, but he is ready with his [usual] armoury [of excuses] to divert attention away from it so as not to talk about the football.

Mourinho’s lineup is the biggest compliment he can give Barca. To be playing at home with seven defenders is a sign that he must be very afraid. In their day, the Bernabeu would usually not allow this kind of approach to be taken by their coach, even if it means winning them the League. That is, at least, until today. Capello can attest to that.

Full of fear but always ready. That is how Mourinho is. The press conference before the game served as prelude for him to make his ‘justification’ after the Clasico. Selectively choosing what questions to respond, he keeps on reverting to the ‘I’m with 10, they’re always with 11’ speech without having to explain why he had fielded so many defenders. Is anyone annoyed by his attitude? For some it does but not for some others. And in that division he found the cover he can use to talk about everything except football.

Mourinho is a coach [hell-bent] on titles, not football. Or to put it in another way, not a football coach the way we understand how the sport is played as a spectacle or entertainment for those who see it, be it live or at home. Nevertheless it also managed to [inadvertently] help Barca… alot. If the Blancos coach was able to come out with what he got at the Bernabeu, he is not going to be able to do the same again at the Mestalla with only one [final] game to play, and a title at stake. For Guardiola and his players would have been forewarned. And while always being faithful to their style, they [know they] will have to improve [on their game].

Dressing up as a small team

Mourinho said he always trains with a ‘10 against 11’ game-plan whenever he has had to face the Blaugranas. If so, then it would do Barca some good if they are to train and develop a ‘11 against 10’ game-plan. For two reasons: One, if Madrid still insist on playing like a small inferior team, insisting on playing at the back, giving up the pitch, the ball, and all the initiative to Barca, then it is only natural that one of them will get his marching orders again. If I am Mourinho, I would train not for a ‘10 against 11’ but a ‘9 against 11’ game-plan for if Pepe is to play in the same position, with the same kind of role, repeating the same kind of performance, the Brazilian-born Portuguese is certain not to finish the game.

The Madrid-Barca game reminded me a lot of the Netherlands and Spain final from the last World Cup. That day, to my shame, Holland players dedicated themselves more to break up than to play football. And so it went. Defeated and leaving a very bad image for the world to see. What is interesting is that the same people [Madrid press] who are now applauding the tactics used by Mourinho with Madrid – a very good Madrid side with a wealth of talent – were angry with the approach taken by the Dutch that day, and rightly so.

The second reason, as in the case of Barcelona, ​​train and perfect their ‘11 against 10’ strategy. That is because it is not acceptable when a rival, with one less player, was able to create more chances than they were. Obviously something was wrong. Basically it is down to two things. One, in their head, subconsciously, they had assumed that down 0-1 and with one less, Madrid is left for dead. And they took their foot off the pedal, upfront and at the back. And two, for the rival, it is exactly the opposite, with everyone giving a little more. The solution? Simple, but effective: the ball, always playing it a little quicker, no matter how bad the pitch, and of positioning, as they would against 11 but a few meters back, no more, and looking for the one-on-one encounter all over the entire pitch, doing so until they can make use of their numerical superiority.

Superiority, that by making the opponents moving back and forth, emphasizing on the one-on-one, is sure to translate into spaces, and then yes, their numerical advantage will count. If that happened on Saturday they would have been able to react more forcefully than a team playing with one less. It is their fault rather than their opponent’s virtue. In the first Clasico, at the Camp Nou, whether they believe it or not, Real Madrid thought they were of the same quality as Guardiola’s team, they were utterly defeated 5-0.

Taking a step towards the title

Now, having adapted themselves to Barca’s game, ​​from their offensive game to the endless tackles intended on stopping the opponent’s strengths rather than to enhance their own, Madrid managed a draw, and a thank you note from them. Coming from where they came from, the 5-0, and that other 5-0 (Guardiola’s Barca victories over Real Madrid in the last three years), the draw may not seem much but it is, [in essence a] big [deal].

What is perfect is the eight point advantage Barca has in the league with one less game [towards the end]. Sure it was not Barca’s best game of the year but even so, with the faithfully [ugly] approach taken by Mourinho all season long, the Blaugranas ended tying up the match and taking another step towards the title that, once and for all, proves who is the best and who is not.