Real Madrid Faces Pressure as Figo Praises Barcelona's Dominance
Luis Figo has never been afraid of noise around a Clasico. He created most of it himself. Now, one of Real Madrid’s most symbolic figures has delivered a verdict that will sting at the Bernabeu.
Six points off the top and struggling for rhythm, Madrid are already watching Barcelona disappear into the distance. Figo, speaking to Spanish radio station "Marca", did not bother to sugarcoat it: if this pace continues, La Liga might be decided long before May.
“They are winning, playing well and scoring goals”
Barcelona’s numbers are brutal. Seven games, seven wins. Twenty-one points from 21. Thirty-one goals scored. Figo, a UEFA adviser and an avowed Madridista, could only applaud.
“They have started very strongly. They are winning, playing well and scoring goals. For Spanish football, this is of course a good thing,” he said.
The praise was clear. So was the warning. The Portuguese great reminded everyone that seasons are not decided in September or October.
“We have to wait and see how the season develops, because it is very long,” he added, refusing to declare the race over even as Barcelona tear through the early fixtures.
Faith in Madrid’s response
For all the anxiety around Madrid’s start, Figo refused to bury his old club. The man who crossed the divide in 2000 and lit the fuse on a new era of Clasico warfare still believes in a response.
“I am sure Real Madrid will compete until the end,” he insisted.
He pointed to the grind of a league campaign, the relentlessness that punishes any team that cannot sustain its level.
“This is a competition that requires consistency until the month of May. There will be ups and downs during the season, and when they happen the team must show the maturity and quality to overcome them.”
The message was simple: Barcelona have set a blistering standard, but Madrid’s history is built on surviving storms like this.
Derby defeat and a cool distance from Mourinho
Madrid’s latest blow came in the city derby, a 2-0 defeat to Atletico that deepened the sense of unease. Figo, though, did not watch it. He was in Zurich and only followed events from afar.
That distance extended to the controversy that followed. Asked about Jose Mourinho’s fiery comments on the refereeing in the post-match press conference, Figo stepped away from the drama.
“He did what he thought he would do at that moment. I do not have to comment on it. I think these are personal acts, and if he did it, it was because he felt that way,” he said.
No defence. No criticism. Just a clear line: Mourinho acts on his own instincts, and Figo wants no part in that debate.
Ballon d’Or talk and a nod to Mbappe
With the Ballon d’Or voting closing next Monday, Figo also refused to be drawn into the annual storm over individual awards.
“I do not vote, so this is not on my mind. Those who make the decision are the ones who vote and we have to wait,” he said, stepping aside from the arguments that usually dominate this part of the season.
One name, though, did bring a different tone from him: Kylian Mbappe.
“He is always at a very high level. He has got us used to being one of the best players in the world and to scoring goals,” Figo said.
Barcelona are flying. Madrid are wobbling. Mbappe keeps scoring. If this is only the opening act of the season, the pressure on the Bernabeu to find a response will only grow with every irresistible Barcelona win.
