Vinicius Jr., Real Madrid player
Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images
Real Madrid’s defeat to Atletico Madrid has reignited concerns inside the club that Jose Mourinho may be facing the same problems that undermined the team last season.
According to Mario Cortegana of The Athletic, some sources around Real Madrid believe the attitude within the squad has barely changed despite the arrival of a new coaching staff.
That is particularly troubling given what Mourinho inherited.
Real Madrid finished the previous campaign without a trophy for the second consecutive season, while dressing-room tensions contributed to a turbulent year and ultimately Xabi Alonso’s departure.
Madrid’s midfield problem is becoming impossible to ignore
One of the concerns raised inside the club is the lack of authority in midfield.
Real Madrid were unable to establish control against Atletico, and that issue has led to comparisons with Barcelona’s current midfield options.
A source close to the situation pointed specifically to the “lack of control in midfield” and “attitude of the players” being “exactly the same as last year.”
Bernardo Silva of Real Madrid
Real Madrid insiders have voiced their concerns. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
The same source then made a striking comparison with Madrid’s biggest domestic rival, saying,
“You see Rodri playing for Barcelona and it’s exactly what’s missing here. This international break is going to be incredibly long.”
It is a particularly revealing assessment because Mourinho’s appointment was supposed to address precisely this kind of problem.
The Portuguese coach arrived after a season in which the team struggled to consistently impose themselves in high-octane matches.
The Atletico defeat offered little evidence of that changing, as even before Dean Huijsen’s red card altered the contest, Real Madrid had struggled to dictate the game or create enough danger.
Refereeing is not the answer to Madrid’s bigger questions
The reaction to the derby has also followed a familiar pattern, as the officiating became a major talking point, with Real Madrid’s official television channel also criticising the decisions.
But there is a recognition within the club that focusing exclusively on refereeing risks missing the bigger sporting issue.
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Mourinho has a huge task ahead of him. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Another source summed up that concern bluntly: “The problem with the referees matters less than the problem with the football.”
Notably, the club has already experienced the consequences of unresolved internal problems.
Now Real Madrid are fourth after seven league matches, six points behind Barcelona, although it is crucial to understand that this does not mean the Portuguese coach’s project can be judged after seven league matches.
But it does explain why the reaction to this particular defeat has been so strong.
Real Madrid did not bring Mourinho back merely to change the name on the dugout. The expectation was that he would restore control, intensity and a stronger collective identity.
If the concerns coming from inside the club continue, Mourinho’s biggest challenge may be changing a mentality that some around Madrid believe has survived the managerial change.
Report reveals the general feeling inside Real Madrid dressing room after derby debacle
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images
Real Madrid’s defeat to Atletico Madrid has triggered an uncomfortable feeling within the club that the problems which undermined the team last season may still be there despite Jose Mourinho’s arrival.
According to Mario Cortegana of The Athletic, conversations with sources across different levels of Real Madrid have pointed to growing frustration following the 1-2 defeat at the Metropolitano.
Mourinho arrived with the expectation that he could restore authority and control to a side that had gone two consecutive seasons without a major trophy.
Yet the derby defeat exposed several of the same weaknesses that have followed Madrid into this new campaign.
In fact, one source close to a first-team player described the performance as “a disaster” because it showed that “nothing has changed.”
What’s the story?
The derby generated plenty of debate around refereeing decisions, particularly following Dean Huijsen’s dismissal.
Within the discussion, though, there is reportedly a recognition that Madrid’s problems against Atletico cannot simply be explained through officiating.
One source offered a blunt assessment of where the focus should lie, saying, “The problem with the referees matters less than the problem with the football.”
Notably, Real Madrid had entered the derby in reasonably strong form, winning six of their previous seven matches in all competitions, with the 0-1 defeat to Real Betis the only significant blemish.
Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid player
Real Madrid superstars failed to influence the Madrid derby. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
But the Metropolitano presented a very different challenge.
Madrid struggled to control the game and offered little attacking threat even before Huijsen’s red card.
The expected attacking power of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. again failed to translate into enough danger, with none of the three managing a shot on target.
Mourinho inherits a team still searching for answers
The scale of the challenge facing Mourinho was already clear before the derby.
Real Madrid had ended the previous two seasons without a major trophy, while tensions within the dressing room had also become an issue during the 2025/26 campaign.
Those difficulties contributed to Xabi Alonso’s dismissal in January and were followed by the highly publicised training-ground confrontation involving Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Mourinho was therefore not just arriving to improve results. Real Madrid needed a shift in mentality, consistency and control.
Dean Huijsen, Real Madrid player
Real Madrid insiders have a clear idea of the feeling within the team. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
The early results had offered some encouragement, but Atletico exposed questions that remain unanswered.
Real Madrid looked short of authority in possession, lacked attacking sharpness and struggled to impose themselves on a major opponent.
Real Madrid need Mourinho’s promised transformation
The Portuguese coach was brought back to Real Madrid with the task of restoring a team capable of dominating matches rather than merely surviving them.
The defeat to Atletico, however, suggests that transformation is far from complete.
Barcelona have won the last two La Liga titles, making Madrid’s domestic challenge even more pressing, but before Mourinho can close that gap, he must solve the issues within his own squad.
Simply put, the expectation was that Mourinho would change the team’s trajectory.
However, after Atletico, some around the club are already asking whether the same old problems have followed Madrid into a new era.