Jose Mourinho's return to Real Madrid, thirteen years after he first left the Bernabeu, was always going to invite scrutiny given his reputation and the club's demand for immediate success. Handed a three-year deal aimed at restoring both stability and silverware following two trophyless campaigns, the Portuguese coach is already facing familiar questions after just seven league matches back in charge.
A defeat to city rivals Atletico Madrid has intensified doubts about Real's consistency and Mourinho's tactical setup, leaving the club fourth in the La Liga table. Barcelona, unbeaten in seven league games and inspired by a prolific Raphinha with twelve goals already this season, lead the way by six points. Atletico sit second and Real Betis third, with both five points clear of Madrid.
Mourinho pointed to two contentious first-half incidents in the derby loss - Cristian Romero's challenge on Jude Bellingham and a similar one by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde, neither of which resulted in a red card - as turning points. Still, the overall performance exposed deeper issues that Mourinho must address before facing Villarreal at home on October 10 and then Barcelona away two weeks later, following an unusually long international break.
One of the clearest problems was Madrid's inability to dominate midfield. Mourinho fielded Aurelien Tchouameni and Valverde as a double pivot with Bellingham pushed further forward, a combination that offered energy but lacked the composure needed to dictate tempo. Bernardo Silva's introduction came too late to change the pattern of the match. Going forward, Mourinho may need to lean more heavily on Silva's game-management qualities or turn to Arda Guler for added creativity in central areas, without necessarily scrapping the double pivot altogether.
Madrid's attacking talent remains abundant, yet cohesion among their star forwards has been elusive. Kylian Mbappe barely featured in the buildup play against Atletico, while Vinicius Junior was withdrawn not long after Dean Huijsen's second-half sending off. With Vinicius, Mbappe and Bellingham all capable of winning matches individually, Mourinho's challenge is ensuring their games complement rather than overlap. Vinicius will need to recover the directness that once made him unplayable, while Mbappe requires better service instead of being forced to create his own chances.
A potential solution may already be emerging from within the squad. Carlos Espi, just 21, has made an instant impact since arriving at the club, scoring a 90th-minute winner against Espanyol on his league debut and repeating the feat in stoppage time against Elche. His knack for decisive late contributions gives Mourinho another attacking option, particularly as a fresh presence in the closing stages of tight matches.
Defensively, Madrid's vulnerability in transition was also laid bare at the Metropolitano. Atletico exploited gaps around the midfield with quick counters, a problem compounded by Huijsen's red card. If Mourinho wants his team to press high and commit players forward, Tchouameni and Valverde will need to provide more defensive cover behind them. The back four of Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Huijsen and Marc Cucurella showed promise but lacked the collective discipline Mourinho will demand, especially with full-backs advancing. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois again proved his enduring value, producing crucial saves to keep Real competitive.
With the extended break offering a rare chance to reset, Mourinho now has time to address these structural issues before a pivotal run of fixtures. How he responds could shape not just his second spell in Madrid, but Real's hopes of mounting a serious title challenge against a resurgent Barcelona.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.