Jose Mourinho Makes Quiet Change at Real Madrid After Atletico Loss

Real Madrid fell to Atlético Madrid in the derby (2-1) before the international break. Since then, José Mourinho and his staff have used this three-week break to reassess their approach.

And above all, to do everything possible to ensure Real Madrid fights to the very end in La Liga, despite trailing FC Barcelona, ​​and in the Champions League, where the Merengues began with a victory against Inter (2-1).

According to the Spanish media outlet AS, two areas of focus have been identified. The first concerns Vinícius Júnior, who has struggled since the season began.

Despite Mourinho's confidence in him, the Brazilian winger is off to a difficult start to the season, with only one goal and three assists in his first eight matches.

His performance against Atlético Madrid particularly highlighted his struggles. Nevertheless, the Real Madrid staff are not questioning his place in the starting lineup.

The objective is to adapt the system to help him regain his attacking influence, notably by relieving him of some defensive duties on the left flank. A midfielder could cover this area.

The other priority concerns the midfield. Since the start of the season, José Mourinho has favored a 4-2-3-1 formation, notably playing Jude Bellingham in the number 10 role.

This choice has already paid off, as the Englishman has scored three goals and provided two assists in seven matches. The coaching staff wants a double pivot that can better control the game's flow and help win back possession.

Federico Valverde appears to be the ideal solution, despite the various combinations tested since the beginning of the season. Since the start of the 2026/2027 season, the team has used four different starting lineups in eight matches.

The Valverde-Bernardo Silva duo has won three games, while the partnership with Eduardo Camavinga has won against Málaga (4-0) but lost to Betis (1-0).

Mourinho used the Valverde-Alexander-Arnold pairing against Inter, while the expected Tchouaméni-Valverde tandem alternated between a win at Elche and a disappointing performance against Atlético.

It remains to be seen whether Mourinho has found the right formula during the winter break. The first indication will come against Villarreal on Saturday.