'I didn't have to be a peacekeeper!' - Jose Mourinho addresses Tchouameni & Valverde feud as Real Madrid boss sends stern warning over 'fruitful' Vinicius Jr's form

Real Madrid head coach Mourinho has revealed that he has not been forced to act as a mediator between Tchouameni and Valverde, despite the high-profile friction that defined their relationship last season. The duo was at the centre of two separate altercations in May, one of which resulted in Valverde being hospitalised for a head injury.

However, since the summer break - which saw Tchouameni sign a new contract and Valverde inherit the captaincy following Dani Carvajal's exit - the atmosphere has shifted dramatically. Speaking ahead of the clash with Rayo Vallecano, Mourinho expressed his delight with the current unity. 'Look, I haven't done anything. They've done everything themselves. The empathy within the group today, the friendship, the way they work together, the frustration when they go off because nobody wants to be substituted, but still supporting their teammates, the player who comes on in the final minute… the group is fantastic.'

The reconciliation was visible during Madrid's recent Champions League victory over Inter Milan, where Tchouameni made his first appearance of the season after returning from World Cup duty. The Frenchman replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold late in the game and was seen embracing Valverde after the final whistle.

Mourinho admitted he was prepared to step in if the tension persisted after their international commitments, but he found a squad that had already moved on. 'If I knew nothing, if I walked into the dressing room without knowing anything about the situation, I'd think they were great friends. When they came back from the World Cup, I was obviously paying attention to see whether I needed to act as a peacekeeper, but I didn't have to do anything,' Mourinho noted during his press conference.

While the midfield issues appear settled, Mourinho also took the opportunity to address the scrutiny surrounding Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian forward, who put an end to a summer of intense speculation over his future by signing a new long-term deal through 2032 last month, has endured a quiet start to the campaign, managing just one goal in five appearances across all competitions. Despite questions regarding his recent output, his manager remains adamant that the version of the player capable of winning matches single-handedly is just around the corner.

'The best Vinicius is coming soon. The one from last year, when the Bernabeu was terrified against Benfica and he ended up winning the tie. The Vinicius who won matches single-handedly hasn't arrived yet. But he will,' Mourinho told reporters. 'In an era of data and statistics, he's very close to his top speed. He's broken his records for high-intensity sprints, records for ball recoveries, for ball recoveries in the final third... He's coming.'

The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss grew particularly defensive when asked about the criticism the 26-year-old has received from the Spanish media. Mourinho suggested that the negativity is merely a byproduct of the player's immense success and importance to the team - having already lifted three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, and two FIFA Club World Cups among numerous other honors with Real Madrid.

Mourinho concluded his defence with a traditional Portuguese saying to illustrate his point about the nature of fame and talent. 'In Portugal there's a proverb, I don't know if it's the same in Spain, "you only throw stones at trees that bear fruit." What has Vini done here in recent years? How many Champions Leagues has he won? How many goals has he scored? He's a tree with plenty of fruit. And people throw stones because they want fruit.'