He is perhaps the most divisive character in the madridismo over the last 20 years. Obviously, the return of José Mourinho to the Santiago Bernabéu delighted some fans, but also surprised, negatively, many. In addition to the trauma and social division that followed his first stint in Madrid, the Special One’s last experiences on the sidelines were not necessarily exceptional, and for example he failed to qualify Benfica for the Champions League last season.
Positive point in his favor all the same: the Portuguese arrived in a context where the supporters were tired of their team, after a season marked by numerous ego and internal behavior problems. Fights between players, clashes between players and coaches, nonchalant players on the field… Enough to create enormous annoyance among Madrid public opinion, but also among management, and the choice to appoint Mourinho seemed more in line with a desire to restore order in the locker room than to want to establish a new playing philosophy.
Managing the stars
After four days of La Liga, and at the dawn of this Champions League clash against Inter, it is time to draw the first conclusions about this Real from a Mourinho who is nonetheless more peaceful and less conflicted than at the start of the 2010s. For the moment, with three victories in four matches and a match lost against Betis where the Merengues had a little bad luck, the balance sheet is correct. On the other hand, there are perhaps two points which spoil this start of the season a little. First, a midfielder who once again asserts himself as the team’s biggest weak point. If Mourinho is not necessarily the only one responsible, it is clear that for the moment, we are still witnessing a deficit of creativity and ideas, regardless of the players lined up, which clearly harms the offensive animation of the team.
But, as stated above, it is above all on the management of egos – and therefore of stars – that Mourinho is expected to turn the corner. And for the moment, it is clear that the same scenario is repeating itself: the Vinicius-Mbappé-Bellingham trio finishes all the matches or leaves relatively late, while other players who are sometimes more deserving, like Arda Güler, are replaced relatively quickly. If the arrival of Mourinho were to be accompanied by a more or less significant disappearance of statuses and privileges, it is clear that for the moment nothing has really changed. This weekend, several journalists said that Vinicius Jr should, for example, take a walk on the bench, like the famous Tomas Roncero, and many also believe that Mourinho should be more demanding on defensive efforts with the Brazilian and Mbappé. While giving more opportunities to players like Carlos Espi. As you will have understood, the slightest choice of the Special One is and will be examined very closely…
