Mbappé opened the scoring in the 41st minute, with Raphinha equalising on 61 minutes. Mbappé struck again in the 87th minute after a counterattack involving Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga, cutting Barcelona’s lead at the top to three points.
“It was a great match. High level,” Mourinho told Marca. “Two teams that play to win and, in our case, the boys played a great game. Organised, courageous, against an opponent that presses a lot.”
He added: “Barcelona had a strong reaction in the second half, but we had that calmness and we didn’t lose it. A great victory for the boys.”
Mourinho insisted Madrid had deserved the win.
“You can win through luck, defending a lot… but we won calmly and with all the merit,” he said.
He praised his squad’s mentality:
“I have learned that I have an extraordinary group, with quality and the mentality to play.”
Mourinho added: “Valverde played injured for more than forty minutes. He wanted to continue within his limits.” He also praised the squad’s unity again.
Hansi Flick, meanwhile, said Barcelona were disappointed but needed to respond rather than overreact to their league defeat of the season.
“These are two defeats and we are not happy. We are disappointed,” he said. “The first half was not good; in the second we improved after the 1-1. We lacked freshness.”
Flick acknowledged Madrid’s quality:
“We were playing against an opponent of great quality, who did very well without the ball.”
He rejected the suggestion that the result would create doubts.
“I don’t think this defeat will create doubts in the team. Everyone knows the situation. We didn’t play entirely well today, but in big games the details decide them.”
Flick refused to use travel as an excuse.
“I don’t accept excuses. I’m telling the truth: today we weren’t fresh, and we have to change that.”
Mourinho said the victory belonged to his players.
“We won because of the players. This is our life, the life of a coach, which is why many lose their jobs. I am very happy for them, for everyone,” he said.
He also warned that the result would mean little if Madrid failed to follow it up.
“If we lose in El Sardinero, today’s victory is no use,” he said. “Madrid play to win championships.”