If Barca manage to set a new La Liga record of 16 successive wins with victory over Atletico Madrid this evening, then Mourinho`s men - who suffered their second defeat of the season after going down 1-0 at lowly Osasuna last weekend - will find themselves 10 points adrift heading into their home match with Real Sociedad tomorrow.

On top of that, Madrid will need to produce something special to gain the better head-to-head record against Barca if the two teams should then finish level on points, with the Catalan side having won the first meeting 5-0 at the Nou Camp.

With all that in mind it has been suggested Madrid`s best hope for silverware this season lies in the knock-out competitions - the capital club will play Barca in the final of the Copa del Rey and are in the last 16 of the Champions League - but Mourinho has a different view.

Asked if his side should forget about the league, Mourinho said: "What we need to do is forget about the Copa del Rey until the final, which is at the end of April.

"Now we need to think about the league and the Champions League, in which we have the same chance of winning it as the other 15 teams that are still in it.

"In the league we are behind and for this reason the favourites are those in front. Mathematically it`s possible, and what`s mathematically possible, is possible.

"We need to continue winning games and doing our jobs."

Mourinho also insisted he is happy at Madrid amid recent rumours about his long-term future with the Spanish giants, and is pleased with the direction the club is heading.

He said: "We are working and improving on a structural and functional level, heading in a direction I like very much. I believe this will help make the club be powerful from a sports viewpoint, and allow it to win titles once more.

"My decisions go hand in hand with the capacity I have to do my job the best way I possibly can, and I am currently happy with the situation I'm in."

Mourinho also played down talk of Cristiano Ronaldo's supposed barren spell in front of goal.

Ronaldo has scored 32 in all competitions for Madrid this season, but has failed to net in his last four appearances - his worst run since he joined the club from Manchester United in a world-record move in 2009.

Mourinho said: "Cristiano has scored 32 goals this season. His numbers are truly dramatic; he's playing an incredible amount of minutes, he's only missed the cup match against Levante, he's never been suspended or injured, he's even played sick... I believe this season will continue to be fantastic for him even if he doesn't score any more goals."