Madrid, Oct. 25 -- FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho struck contrasting tones on Saturday ahead of Sunday's first Clasico of the season, with Flick relishing the occasion and Mourinho playing down the significance of the rivalry.
Barcelona heads into the match at Camp Nou seeking its 10th consecutive La Liga victory, with a win set to extend its lead over second-place Real Madrid to nine points.
Flick was full of praise for his opponents, describing Real Madrid as "one of the best teams in the world" and highlighting their physical strength.
The German also acknowledged that his side had areas to improve following Tuesday's 4-2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
"We did a lot of things...