Real Madrid left us with a defeat against Atlético de Madrid in the derby (2-1), before the international break. Since then, José Mourinho and his staff have taken advantage of this three-week break to question themselves. And above all, do everything possible to ensure that Real fights to the end in La Liga, despite falling behind FC Barcelona, and in the Champions League, where the Merengue club started with a success against Inter (2-1).
According to the Iberian media A.S.two projects have been defined. The first concerns Vinícius Júnior, in difficulty since the start of the season. Despite Mourinho’s confidence in him, the Brazilian winger is having a complicated start to the season, with just one goal and three assists in his first eight games. His performance against the Colchoneros notably illustrated his difficulties. However, the Merengue staff does not call into question his status as holder. The objective would rather be to adapt the system to allow it to regain its offensive influence, in particular by relieving it of part of the defensive tasks on the left side. A midfielder could be tasked with covering this area.
Mourinho is still looking for the perfect tandem in the middle
The other priority concerns the midfield. Since the start of the season, José Mourinho has favored a 4-2-3-1 system, notably placing Jude Bellingham at number 10. A choice which has already borne fruit since the Englishman has scored three goals and provided two assists in seven matches. The staff wants to find a double pivot capable of providing more control in ball circulation and solidity in recovery. Federico Valverde appears to be the appropriate solution, despite the different associations tested since the start of the season.
Since the start of this 2026/2027 financial year, four combinations have been used in eight matches. The Valverde-Bernardo Silva duo won three meetings, while the association with Eduardo Camavinga won against Málaga (4-0) and before losing to Betis (1-0). The Valverde-Alexander-Arnold pair was used against Inter, while the expected tandem between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde alternated between a victory at Elche and a disappointing performance against Atlético. It now remains to be seen whether Mourinho found the right formula during the break. First element of response against Villarreal, Saturday evening (9 p.m.).
