MADRID — Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid trail leaders Barcelona by six points as La Liga action resumes this weekend, with Spanish football starting the countdown to the Clasico after the extended international break.

It has not been plain sailing for the Portuguese veteran since he returned to the helm of Los Blancos, with defeats at Real Betis and then rivals Atletico Madrid leaving them fourth after seven games.

“Obviously we want to be first, not second, third, fourth, or fifth. And we want more points than we have. Obviously, obviously,” said Mourinho before the international break, before blaming officials for his team’s struggles.

Madrid visit Barcelona at Camp Nou on October 25 in Mourinho’s first Clasico since returning to the Spanish capital this summer, following his first stint at the helm between 2010-2013.

Before then come four tough matches for Madrid, hosting Villarreal tomorrow and then Sevilla in La Liga, as well as facing Roma and RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Barcelona also have a tricky lead-in to the Clasico, with league games against Getafe and Betis mixed with away games in the Champions League at Galatasaray and holders Paris Saint-Germain.

Hansi Flick’s side have been unstoppable so far, winning every single match with devastating attacking force, netting 31 goals in their seven league games.

Whether Mourinho is capable of reining in Spain’s dominant domestic side will become clear in the testing fortnight ahead.

While Madrid have shown some signs of improvement from last season’s poor campaign under Xabi Alonso and then Alvaro Arbeloa, they still have a lot further to go to trouble Flick’s Barca machine.

Mourinho has a host of issues to manage in the coming weeks, including the form of Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior.