Sports

Barcelona superstar discusses Vinicius Jr., Fede Valverde and Jose Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid clash

October 25, 2026

Source: Yahoo Sports · Read on source site

class="wp-block-paragraph">Real Madrid are preparing for arguably the biggest game of the season, and Jose Mourinho’s team will want the three points on their trip to the Spotify Camp Nou.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Ahead of the game, Barcelona captain Raphinha has shared his thoughts on Real Madrid’s preparations for El Clasico.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Brazilian has spoken about his compatriot Vinicius Junior’s suspension, Fede Valverde’s versatility and Jose Mourinho’s return to the Camp Nou.

Raphinha refuses to underestimate Madrid without Vinicius

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Brazilian winger was asked whether Vinicius’ absence would benefit Barcelona, and Raphinha refused to underestimate Los Blancos.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“I can’t say his absence will be good for us, because Real Madrid ultimately have many players capable of deciding matches,” Raphinha explained (h/t FCB World).

class="wp-block-paragraph">“It’s true that Vini won’t be there, but there are other players who can play in his position and make the difference in a match of this magnitude.”

Raphinha refuses to underestimate Real Madrid despite the absence of Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Edilzon Gamez/Getty Images)

class="wp-block-paragraph">His words reflect the quality and depth Madrid have in their attack and the threat they can pose to their opponents.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Mourinho can turn to alternative attacking options, including Yan Diomande, while Kylian Mbappe remains a major threat through the middle.

class="wp-block-paragraph">For Madrid, the challenge is finding the right attacking balance rather than simply replacing Vinicius’ individual qualities.

Valverde earns praise as Mourinho prepares for Camp Nou return

class="wp-block-paragraph">Raphinha was particularly complimentary about Valverde, who could feature at right-back rather than in his usual midfield role.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“Fede can make runs from midfield and give the team plenty of options when he plays at full-back,” the Brazilian said.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“He’s an incredible player who performs brilliantly in midfield and also does an excellent job out wide.”

class="wp-block-paragraph">Raphinha also named the Uruguayan and Jude Bellingham as the engines that keep Madrid functioning.

Raphinha is full of praise for his counterpart, Fede Valverde. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

class="wp-block-paragraph">Asked about Mourinho’s return to the Camp Nou, Raphinha admitted he could not predict the reception the former Madrid manager would receive.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“When Mourinho was here before, I wasn’t around, so I can’t tell you what to expect from the fans,”he explained.

class="wp-block-paragraph">“What I want is for our supporters to be behind us from beginning to end, whatever happens during the match.”

class="wp-block-paragraph">Those last quotes from Raphinha highlight the challenge that lies ahead for Jose Mourinho’s team later today.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Barcelona will have home support and a six-point league advantage, even if Raphinha recognises Madrid’s strengths.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Los Blancos need to play a near-perfect game to get the three points against Barça, and it remains to be seen how the game plays out.