Jose Mourinho returned to Real Madrid this summer carrying enormous expectations and a reputation built over decades — but 13 years away from the club have made his second stint a far more complex proposition than his first.
Handed a three-year contract to restore stability and silverware after back-to-back trophyless seasons, Mourinho is now seven league matches into his comeback. Already, some of the tensions that defined the difficult moments of his first spell are making themselves felt again.
A worrying start
Defeat in the Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid has left fans questioning both Real Madrid's consistency and the direction of Mourinho's project. Real Madrid sit fourth in La Liga — six points behind leaders and defending champions Barcelona, who have won all seven of their league games and scored 31 goals, with Raphinha netting 12 times already. Atletico Madrid are second and Real Betis third, both five points off the pace.
Historically, the only occasion Real Madrid clawed back a six-point deficit to Barcelona and went on to win La Liga was in Fabio Capello's title-winning campaign of 2006–07.
The midfield problem
One of the sharpest concerns from the derby was Real Madrid's inability to control the middle of the pitch. Mourinho paired Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde in a double pivot, with Jude Bellingham pushed forward. The two gave Madrid defensive solidity and energy, but the team struggled to impose themselves on the game from deeper positions and rarely threatened with enough creativity.
Bernardo Silva was introduced only in the final eight minutes — far too late to influence the outcome. His ability to dictate tempo makes him a compelling option from the start, while Arda Guler offers additional creativity further up the pitch. Mourinho does not necessarily need to scrap his preferred structure, but he must find a way to give Real Madrid greater control of matches.
Getting more from the attacking trio
Individual quality in attack is not the issue at Real Madrid. Making it click as a cohesive unit is another matter entirely. Against Atletico Madrid, Kylian Mbappe was peripheral for large stretches and rarely touched the ball, while Vinicius Jr was withdrawn shortly after Dean Huijsen received a red card early in the second half.
Mourinho has three match-winners in Vinicius Jr, Mbappe, and Bellingham — players individually capable of deciding a contest on their own. The challenge is ensuring they complement one another rather than clutter the same spaces. Vinicius Jr needs to rediscover the directness and explosive running that makes him so dangerous, while Mbappe requires a consistent supply of chances rather than being forced to manufacture them himself.
One emerging alternative is Carlos Espi, 21, who scored a 90th-minute winner on his league debut against Espanyol before repeating the feat in stoppage time against Elche. With Real Madrid still searching for the right balance in attack, Espi gives Mourinho a different kind of option — a focal point capable of making an impact off the bench when games are there to be won.
Defending transitions
The other significant concern is Real Madrid's vulnerability when they lose possession. Atletico Madrid found pockets of space around their midfield and attacked with real pace and purpose, a problem compounded by Huijsen's red card. Mourinho's system demands that Tchouameni and Valverde provide adequate defensive cover when the full-backs advance — something that did not happen consistently in the derby.
Thibaut Courtois was outstanding between the posts, producing several important saves to keep Real Madrid in contention. But Mourinho will know that relying on his goalkeeper to paper over tactical cracks is not a sustainable approach. The challenge now, with a three-week international break giving him time to think, is to have answers ready before Real Madrid host Villarreal on 10 October — and before the trip to Barcelona a fortnight later.
