The eyes of even the neutral spectators were filled with admiration for Barcelona. And for good reason. The way the Catalan club plays touches the heart and soul. Impressions are one thing, but what do the statistics say? They shouldn't be ignored either, and according to the numbers, Real Madrid and Barcelona are identical?! José Mourinho is like a magnetic field when it comes to criticism. He attracts it. Sometimes it is justified, sometimes it isn't. He has been criticized for the way his team plays and for not looking convincing (which was indeed the case at one point), but he is managing to get things right, improving the team piece by piece. He found a way to outsmart Barcelona in El Clásico, reduced the points gap, and with a victory over Racing Santander, continued to match his great rival in one particular statistic – 0-3 (0-3).🚨🇪🇸 YAN DIOMANDE MAKES IT THREE FOR REAL MADRID! WHAT A FANTASTIC GOAL! 🤯🤯 Racing Santander 0-3 Real Madrid. https://t.co/t3mkHETpwp— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) People have accused José Mourinho, and will continue to accuse him, of being a defensive-minded coach. He is, and always will be, prepared for that criticism. He knows what he is talking about and will bring out the statistics to defend himself. Of course, he will choose the figures that suit his argument and help him disprove certain claims. So, after today's match, if someone tries to provoke him, don't be surprised if he comes up with this statistic: Real Madrid scored three away goals in the first half for the first time since 2014, when they faced Villarreal at El Madrigal. On that occasion, Real Madrid had scored four goals by halftime. Under José Mourinho, they had also achieved something similar a year earlier, in January, against Valencia at Mestalla. He could certainly come up with a few more examples…🚨🚨| KYLIAN MBAPPE WINS A PENALTY FOR REAL MADRID!!! https://t.co/PHG6IGQy5m— Kalshi FC (@KalshiFC) November 1, 2026 For instance, he could point to what Barcelona have achieved so far this season. Yes, they have a three-point advantage in the Spanish league, but across all competitions, the Blaugrana and Los Blancos are level: both clubs have 12 wins and two defeats. The difference is that Real Madrid suffered both defeats in La Liga, while the Catalan side lost in El Clásico and against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The situation is such that José Mourinho has plenty of ammunition to defend himself. He has something to back up his arguments, and the schedule ahead looks quite manageable for him and Real Madrid. On top of that, the team has found its rhythm, the pieces are beginning to fall into place, and it seems that nobody is missing Vinícius.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Looking at everything Yan Diomande can do when given space, the message might well be: forget about Vinícius! However, by the time Real Madrid supporters were left wide-eyed by the goal scored by the winger from Ivory Coast, the away supporters had already burst into applause on two occasions. The first came after Matteo Prati brought down Kylian Mbappé in the penalty area, conceding a penalty. The French striker grabbed the ball and smashed it into the net from the spot. There isn't a single team in La Liga against whom he hasn't scored. He has faced 24 different opponents and found the net against every one of them. Los Blancos were breathing easily from the early stages of the match at El Sardinero, and things became even easier when Arda Güler threaded a pass through, Jude Bellingham surged forward, rounded goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala, and calmly placed the ball exactly where he wanted it.And then, just before halftime, came an absolute rocket! Following a corner and a combination that failed to produce an immediate opportunity, Yan Diomande waited for the ball and unleashed a thunderous strike He now has five goals and four assists this season, despite having played fewer minutes than Vinícius. Real Madrid could easily have secured an even more emphatic victory over Racing Santander. Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and, finally, Endrick all missed chances. The ball kept whistling past the goal, and when Aurélien Tchouaméni unleashed a powerful shot, it struck a young boy in the stands. His ear turned red, and his right cheek was stinging…LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 11FridayVillarreal – Espanyol 0-1 (0-0)/Cabrera 60/SaturdayLevante – Atletico Madrid 0-2 (0-1)/Grimaldo 36, Simeone 62/Rayo Vallecano – Celta 3-0 (1-0)/De Frutos 36,55, Lopez 73/Betis – Malaga 2-1 (2-0)/Bartra 38, Fornals 45+2 – Nino 68/Barcelona – Malaga 6-1 (4-0)/Raphinha 41, Lopez 23, Yamal 45+1, 64, Gordon 81 – Diaz 84/SundayGetafe – Sevilla 3-1 (0-1)/Salas 19, Unal 68, Satriano 73 – Mangala 94/Racing Santander – Real Madrid 0-3 (0-3)/Mbappe 11 (p), Bellingham 21, Diomande 36/20.30: (2.35) Elche (3.45) Valencia (3.00)23.00: (2.20) Athletic Bilbao (3.70) Real Sociedad (3.00)Monday23.00: (2.20) Deportivo A Coruna (3.35) Osasuna (3.35)***odds are subject to change***