The Real Madrid 2026/27 season has not lived up to expectations so far, as Los Blancos enter the first international break of the season placed fourth on the La Liga table.
Madrid have lost two of their opening seven league games. The defeats came away from home against Real Betis and Diego Simeone’s Atletico de Madrid. The optimism that was present around the stands of Santiago Bernabeu at the start of the season with the return of José Mourinho is now gradually starting to fade away.
What are Real Madrid’s problems? Why does José Mourinho’s side feel like last season’s Real Madrid, with little to no change?
We’ll try to address these questions in this article.
Real Madrid 2026/27 Season: The Mbappé-Vinicius Dynamic Not Working for Los Blancos
Real Madrid’s biggest problem in recent years has been the Mbappé-Vinicius dynamic on the left wing. If you see the average positions of both these players against Atletico Madrid, you will notice how both these players cover similar spaces, and their average positions overlap each other.
That was Real Madrid’s problem in the last two seasons as well. Kylian Mbappé’s signing has disturbed Madrid’s left-side dynamics significantly, as both Vini and Mbappé tend to occupy the same areas of the pitch. The long-standing problem has continued this season as well, and Mourinho has failed to find a solution so far.
The Midfield Worries Continue for Mourinho’s Side
Another challenge Real Madrid have faced over the last few years is midfield control and ball progression.
Mourinho’s preferred midfield duo in the early parts of the Real Madrid 2026/27 season has been Aurelian Tchouameni and Federico Valverde. Both these players provide the needed defensive security, but with the ball they struggle to exert dominance and control the tempo of the game.
Mourinho Unimpressed by Bernardo Silva
Before the Real Madrid 2026/27 season began, Madrid tried to solve this issue by signing Bernardo Silva from Manchester City. The midfielder started the first two games for Los Blancos and did considerably well, but his physical level did not convince José Mourinho, and the Portuguese manager publicly called out the former City midfielder.
“Bernardo is a really important player for us, but the poor guy is another one who benefits from not doing anything when they’re on holiday. It does him good (mentally) during his time off to not do anything, so he’s come back in poor physical shape – he has to improve.”
With Bernardo not in Mourinho’s immediate plans for the Real Madrid 2026/27 season, Madrid’s midfield options remain the same as last season, except for the departures of Dani Ceballos and Luka Modric; thus, the midfield shortcomings from last season also remain.
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Significant Drop in Individual Levels at the Start of Real Madrid 2026/27 Season
In recent years, Real Madrid have relied a lot on the individual brilliance of their star players to win them games. But in the early parts of the Real Madrid 2026/27 season, the individual level of players has also seemed to diminish.
Players like Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham have failed to capitalise on crucial moments. Similarly, the new summer signings, bar Carlos Espi and Ibrahima Konate, have also not performed at the level that was expected from them.
Extra Time Notes
The international break gives Jose Mourinho the opportunity to return to the tactics board and think over his plans for the Real Madrid 2026/27 season.
This Madrid side has immense potential, but Mourinho must find the solutions to these glaring problems, and he must do it soon enough before things get out of his hands at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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