Mourinho fires up the Real Madrid dressing room: Courtois announces the start of the transformation
How so?
José Mourinho wants to cash in on Real Madrid's bright start in La Liga, urging his players to keep piling up points over the coming weeks as the Portuguese works to sharpen fitness levels and forge harmony within the squad.
According to Spanish newspaper "AS", an early problem confronts Mourinho: a gulf in physical readiness across his squad, with some players having started pre-season on far more training sessions than their teammates.
That gap shows between the likes of Huijsen, Valverde, Güler and Dumfries and others such as Mbappé, Bellingham, Konaté and Cucurella.
Mourinho still found plenty to admire going forward against Espanyol, particularly during the 2-1 win. He reckons Real Madrid gradually imposed their style on the game, even against opponents who were fitter, having enjoyed weeks of collective preparation with none of their players at the World Cup.
Perfecting the attacking and defensive transitions remains a work in progress, and those transitions sit at the heart of his tactical thinking. He knows full harmony will take more time and graft.
Behind the scenes, Mourinho has started to instil a new culture in the dressing room built on competition, ambition and the desire to win. He is tapping into the hunger of a group of players desperate for silverware after two seasons without the major trophies, chief among them the Champions League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
The start was far from perfect on a technical level. Even so, the numbers reflect the team's strength of character. Real Madrid outperformed Espanyol on successful duels 63 to 51, quick recoveries 22 to 17 and ball recoveries 60 to 55.
Mourinho is also drilling in a system rooted in daily demands, discipline and solidarity among the players. Courtois hinted at that after the win, praising the team's discipline and confirming his teammates had begun pulling in one direction.
"Everyone is working in one direction," the Belgian goalkeeper said, nodding to the commitment Mourinho is trying to embed within the team.
Points matter more than ever for Real Madrid in the coming spell. The team play 7 matches before the international break, 4 of them away from home, against Espanyol, then Real Betis, Elche and Atlético Madrid.
As fitness sharpens and the squad gels, Mourinho hopes the difficult start becomes the foundation for a stronger season. The awaited return of Éder Militão after the break hands the Portuguese an extra option in his line-up.
